The Encroaching Frost
by Andoryu-sama
Summary: The ninja of Snow are on the move again, intent on fulfilling their agenda but what exactly does this have to do with one blond haired nin? Betrayal is ubiquitous and everyone seems to have their own plans, forcefully sticking the boy in the middle.
1. This Frozen Land of Ice and Snow

**The Encroaching Frost**

A _Rising upon the Frosted Heavens_ _rewrite_

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special thanks to holyknight5 for all his support!

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The sounds of battle cries as his men raced off to battle and of buildings crumbling one after the other…_

_The orange glow that flickered brightly in the midnight sky…_

_The scent of burning rubble and organic matter that weighed heavily above the village, masking any fresh, natural scents from the surrounding foliage._

_Like a meteor impacting earth at phenomenal speeds, it brought waves of chaos along its path, threatening to erase all forms of life…_

_And they just happened to be in its direct path._

_The light footfalls belonging to only one man filled his ears and the previous Kage of the now crumbling village, the fabled professor of all Hi no Kuni jutsu, stepped into line beside him. _

"_Kushina…she now got out of labor."_

_The current Hokage turned to face his predecessor. "Can she be moved? I want to have her taken out of the village as soon as possible."_

"_She wishes to fight alongside you." The aged shinobi sighed before taking up a look of amusement. "The medics are hard-pressed just keeping her still as it is."_

_A ghost of a smile appeared on the man's face as he imagined the sight before disappearing once more. "Sedate her." The Sandaime's eyes widened, his eyebrows shooting up past his receded hairline at his words and he quickly elaborated. "I…I really don't want her to be here when I…complete the jutsu."_

_The former Hokage seemed to accept it and silence overcame them for a few moments "Is it the only way? There are absolutely no other options?"_

"_If there were an alternative I would love to hear it. You know…before I actually use the fuuin?" He turned to face the village, accepting his predecessor's silence as his resignation. "At least my people would be spared a grueling battle."_

"_You know we could always fight it…drive it off. I may not be as I was all those years ago, but together I'm sure we could…"_

"…_No." The tall blonde interjected kindly. "We don't have the means to fight it as the Shodaime did and besides, your time has long gone; let the young whippersnappers handle this." He finished with a chuckle. "Plus there needs to be someone here to pick up the slack once I'm gone."_

_The aged professor sighed exaggeratedly. "That is one thing I won't be looking forward to once you're gone." The aged shadow said grimly, his successor laughing at his expense. "Oh yes…" He added, looking up suddenly as a thought just came to him. "The other female you requested be put under guard also left labor minutes before and requested to see you." _

"_Is…Is that so?"_

"_Yes…but it is phenomenal isn't it? Two women giving birth on the same day and even within the same hour, what are the chances of that happening?"_

"…"

_They walked out of the tower and into the chaotic streets before coming up to the familiar walls of the hospital, the two storied building surrounded in a massive barrier to prevent it from further demise._

"_Let the barrier down on one side, the Hokage comes!" A random ANBU shouted as they approached. The part of the bluish barrier that was in front the entrance dissipated slowly and they entered briskly, moving past security into the part of the hospital known as the maternity ward. He could hear the cries of one frustrated former female ANBU as she struggled to break free from her confines._

_The blonde passed over the room completely…_

"_Are you really not going to see her and your newborn daughter?" Sandaime said worriedly as they continued to walk by._

"_I will be by to see them later after Kushina is unconscious since she will only try to coerce me into letting her accompany me to the confrontation." He said somewhat evenly as he continued down the hall. "I need to tend to the other one and time is of the essence."_

_Sarutobi slowed to a stop, unable to fathom what he was hearing. "She is so important that you would put her before Kushina?"_

_The Yondaime, the most talented shinobi to hail from Konohagakure stopped momentarily to regard the Sandaime, his features unreadable as he responded without hesitation. "In a way…yes." _

_No further words were needed as the meaning became clear to the older gentleman almost immediately and he retraced his steps back to the room they passed not too long ago to give word of the Hokage's order._

----

_It was the room furthest down the hall from where Kushina was and he dismissed the guards standing guard at the door. He asked the medic inside to give them some privacy before applying a high ranked sound buffer to the inside of the room so their conversation could not be overheard._

"_Sorry I'm late, I ran into some trouble on the way."_

"_I almost lost hope in seeing you again…" A soft, feminine voice spoke up from the bed. She sat up slowly, letting her long glossy snow-white hair fall lifelessly over her shoulder as her ice-blue eyes stared longingly into his sapphire ones. At her bedside was a small cradle in which her newborn laid and he leaned in and stroked its head affectionately._

_Neither said anything for sometime so the woman began. "How is she?"_

_He was caught off guard by the question but he answered in a timely manner, knowing who she was referring to. "She is fine…very rowdy but fine. I needed to have her sedated in order to keep her from putting on her armor."_

"_You mean she does not know of your plans?" At his silence she continued. "You would think that a woman of such importance to you would be privy to such information."_

"_She wouldn't have understood…" He trailed off and she left it at that. Suddenly a wistful smile appeared on her features._

"_I was happy when I found you again after travelling so far, when you found it in yourself to care for me even though you were with another."_

"_It would not have been fair to you."_

"_Did she know?"_

"_No…nor will she ever. This is something she would never forgive and with good reason."_

"_Yet you took such a risk…why?"_

"_The firsts are rarely ever forgotten." He said after some time, eyes locking with hers in a manner that conveyed all and she smiled knowingly._

"_I should know that best."_

_The time for pleasantries was over; he needed to act now or there might not be a village to save when the time came. He became frank with her. "I want to use him…for the plan I discussed with you before…"_

"_You want to use my bloodline as his strength to support the sealing. Very well; I believe in your skills and in my family's line. I shall help him to prosper with his new found strength as he comes to know it."_

"_No…for him to be my son, the village's hero, you cannot be here. The Sandaime suspects something of our relationship; I don't want you to be subjected to any scrutiny."_

"_Fine…I shall return to Shimo and raise him there. My brother at least would…"_

"_I want the people of Konoha to truly appreciate my sacrifice, his sacrifice for them. I want it engraved into their souls that he is their savior; that they can thank none but him. For this, he needs to remain here in the village, as a reminder of why they were able to take a breath that day."_

"_You…" She began, disbelief in her voice and on her features. "So you wish to separate me from my child?"_

"_I'm sorry, it is the only way."_

"_And who will look after him, this illegitimate child I sired with you?"_

"_Kushina will be there…she will-"_

"_-Do what?! What will happen once she learns of his connection to you?! Do you think she would be able to even look at him without feeling the intent to kill?! Her character will not allow it, her very being will not allow for his survival!"_

_He flinched, his resolve shedding a few crumbs before solidifying once more. It had been the first time he had ever seen her lose the signature 'cool' that came with her bloodline and it was somewhat intimidating. "She will understand that she has no choice. It will be my last request of her."_

"_Like that will matter once she is ignorant of your lies no longer." She folded her arms and looked away, pouting as she didn't have the strength to do much else. "You did not tell her of your plan to seal the being yet you confided your worries with me, knowing I would see reason within your ploy where she would not. Sending me about my way as soon as you received your expected dues…I did not travel so far to be used in such a manner, especially not by the man I love!"_

"_That is not true. I was able to tell you things I had told no other, things that I had not even told my sensei who I hold on the highest pedestal. Does my confiding in you not prove the level of my trust?"_

_She turned away from him. "No…It only proves the level of my idiocy, how much I stupidly believed that I would gain something immeasurable by coming to this far away land."_

"_Yukika…" He called her name finally, gazing sadly at her. "You know I lo-"_

"_Then prove it…" She drew the covers away, exposing her still somewhat swollen body to him while facing him fully. "I want you to give me another…while I can still look upon your features without scorn."_

"…"

"_You wish to rob me of my first borne and deny me a second? You really do know how to wound a woman's heart beyond repair." She laughed bitterly, taking his silence as a firm denial of her request._

"_N-No…I'll do it." He succumbed, placing the boy back in his small bed before shedding his coat and approaching her. "It will be my last…our last…my apology to you."_

----

_A few minutes later and the deed was done, the irate woman using a salve to keep her final 'gift' within its confines after using some low-level medic-nin techniques she had knowledge of to relieve herself of her aches. "I shall be back for him."_

_He nodded, glancing at the boy in the small crib. "The seal I'm going to put on him should give way in roughly 16 years or when the chakra in his body reaches a point where it can no longer sustain it and his life. When it does he will not be able to hide who he is anymore and it will give rise to confusion. You may return for him then."_

_She turned to regard the man over her shoulder. "For the sake of this village's future, I hope that he will be treated kindly." She warned, disappearing through the open window with his cloak billowing over her smaller shoulders. _

_He hoped she would find the note inside with his suggested names for the baby._

----

_It was over…the beast's soul had been pulled, the ghastly hand passing through both their bodies to reach its goal. It retracted slowly, moving in response to his wavering will at seeing his wailing child squirming in pain._

_There was a bright flash and a seal made of blood, my blood, appeared on his small body and I took that moment to add another seal of my own design on his bare back, one that would hopefully hide the truth of his true blood relations. I watched as white hair changed to striking blonde and his ice-blue eyes turned into a piercing sapphire, and I told the Sandaime of my final request._

_The boy's destiny…_

_Kushina's duty…_

_A solemn ANBU approaching carrying a small bundle in his arms changed everything however._

"_Kushina's carriage was caught in an explosion. I found the child lying beneath her body…she is unharmed." The words were short and to the point, just as how they had been trained._

_The shinigami looming behind me pulled on my soul and I begged for more time. I reached out and drew a similar seal on the girl's back, watching as her features changed before leaning in to whisper my final words to her._

"_Live happily with your older brother…"_

_The Sandaime's eyes widened…_

_The shinigami swiped…_

_It was indeed over._

_

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_

**Chapter 1: This Frozen Land of Ice and Snow**

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**

"I told you, it's not over yet." His determined voice sounded from between the rising steam.

It had been a few days after their arrival into the snow plagued country. After being assaulted, chased by something called a…train, witnesses to a bloody massacre, captured by the enemy and finally stranded in the middle of the snowy mountains, it had finally come upon them. It was the final battle, where the final exchange of flashy techniques would determine the victor of the long, somewhat epic struggle.

The enemy had used his, two chilling black dragons with blazing red eyes that twisted and turned into a cyclone, diminishing his force of clones from a few tens to a measly one.

Meaning it missed…and now it was his turn.

He held out his right hand, surging chakra through it as a signal for the clone beside him to do its work. "If you say something is over, it means that justice prevails and evil loses!"

"It's obvious this story will have a happy ending!" The clone finished for him as it started to beat a rhythm onto the empty space above the offered palm. The chakra started to swirl and take shape, spiraling madly into the technique that would end her pain once and for all.

The _Rasengan_.

"Naruto! I will believe in you! This unlucky princess has accepted you as the greatest ninja!" He heard her call out to him in the haze. It meant a lot to hear her so passionate about anything especially after all this time. He felt pride at having been the one to trigger her change.

"I've had enough of your mouth for one day!" Douto growled fiercely as he shifted his attention from him to the startled princess, mouth contorted in a snarl and his fists raised in anger as he charged with the intention to kill.

The teen's anger flared. As if he would let that happen. Mouth twisting into a scowl of his own, he unknowingly began to call on that 'special' chakra once more, forcing it into his palm due to the ministrations with his other.

There was no time…

His thought reached the clone beside him and it took of towards the princess, leaving him with an incomplete mass of uncontrolled chakra. He forgot about that for the moment as he took off not too soon afterwards. He would have to force its completion on his own on the way to destroying the bastard.

"Hey Bastard!" Naruto shouted when he was but a few feet away, thankfully gaining the attention of the man once more and allow his clone to reach the princess. Grinning, he dodged the haphazard punch that was thrown at him and threw one of his own.

One with a glowing orb of destruction attached…

**"RASENGAN!"**

As he slammed the sphere into bastard's chest he could feel it starting to twist and deform. It wasn't long before the red chakra in the mix began to rebel and force its way outwards.

"Get her out of here!" He shouted over the sounds of breaking glass and twisting metal and he relaxed somewhat when he saw his clone nod and made to make a run for it with the princess in tow. It couldn't have gotten away not a moment too soon as the technique picked that moment to collapse.

It exploded, sending the three of them rocketing off in opposite directions. Douto, being on the receiving end of the jutsu, received the heaviest impact and was sent spiraling into one of the massive glass panes that was being used for the generator. The clone managed to get Koyuki a good ways away from the impact before they were affected by the shockwave and they were only sent flying a couple feet before they landed, the clone twisting their bodies so that it would take the brunt of the damage as they landed before dispelling in a puff of smoke.

Naruto however…

----

Koyuki groaned slightly, rolling onto her side to remove her face from the biting cold. Coughing lightly, she sat up weakly and swept her eyes over the general area looking for signs of either combatant.

She saw Dotou…the man was lying face down on the snow with a few glass shards jutting out from his back through that weird armor of his.

Being stabbed in the back…what a fitting end for him.

Her blue eyes passed over his form without sparing the dying man a second glance, so far gone was he from her sympathy. It was only a matter of time until she realized however, that no matter how many times she willed her eyes to roam over the glacier, she would find that her blonde hero was not present anywhere on the massive expanse of ice.

"Naruto!" She cried out desperately in hopes of eliciting some form of response from him.

"Heh…The boy's dead…he won't be…coming back…"

Her head snapped back to the man who found it necessary to torment her despite his own pathetic state. She stood briskly and stomped her way towards the man, intending to let him feel at least half of the pain she experienced over the years. She was stopped short however when Kakashi appeared before her in a puff of smoke, effectively blocking her path.

She glared up at him. "Move…"

"No…" He replied softly yet firmly, keeping his stare level with hers.

She made to run past him and he grabbed her waist despite her kicking and screaming and deposited her on the snow in a manner that was considered to be civil.

"Hime!"

She stared at him with a mixture of anger and frustration.

"He's pierced in several vital organs, so what you intended on doing would be nothing more than torture in his last moments. Don't sink to his level…"

Her eyes glossed over with tears. "B-But Naruto…"

"…Is a shinobi of Konoha. Don't take him lightly." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and averted his gaze towards the cliff. "Although I doubt that he would succumb to a mere fall, even if he did die, he did it saving the lives of a princess and her country. He would be happy."

Somehow that statement didn't make her happy in the least.

"However, our mission is not over." He continued. "We still have to escort you back to the castle unharmed. The sooner we get you back, the sooner we can search for him." He said with a smile as he offered a hand though it was only apparent by the crinkling of his eye. "Shall we get going _hime_?"

"Y-Yes…" She resigned as she grasped the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet even as the snow melted away and images of her past life began to play, courtesy of the generator her father. She couldn't bring herself to smile however, her mind plagued by thoughts of a smiling hero.

They began to move towards the winding slope that led to the bottom of the ridge, well, at least _two_ of them were. Kakashi turned to find an injured Sasuke being supported by Sakura, the two of them still overlooking the valley their blonde comrade had supposedly fallen into. He strolled over, stopping short of their turned bodies. "Sasuke, Sakura, let's get moving."

"Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura approached him, brandishing a small piece of orange fabric. "What should we do?"

"Nothing, you need to rest…I'll handle everything after I get everyone back safely to the capital."

* * *

_  
-A few hours later somewhere in the Valley of the Rainbow Glaciers-__  
_  
Naruto coughed a couple times, trying to get the water out of his lungs as he awoke pressed against a rock in the middle of a raging river. He glanced up at the cliff side and noticed it had a more gently sloping nature than he remembered.

Just how far had he drifted downstream anyway?

The water was frigid despite having just been melted, and it was leaving him shivering uncontrollably. He needed to get out of the river before he froze to death.

Drawing on the remains of whatever chakra he had left, he managed to stick to the surface of the water after countless tries before climbing out. He immediately then shrugged off his jacket and wrung it dry, allowing for the warm glow of the sun to dry his skin somewhat. Despite the heating effects of the generator they were still in Yukiguni after all so the air was still nippy, forcing him to bend slightly to make himself smaller and preserve warmth. He could feel his skin throbbing in certain places, the dark blue contrast in his skin indicating signs of bruising that could have arisen from numerous encounters with rocks while he was drifting in the river.

He reached around his midsection and undid the clasp on his pouch, rummaging around inside until he found what he was looking for. It was a small ink map that showed the country's general layout given to him by Kakashi, who had made it clear that it was imperative that they received one each. Shivering without restraint, the blonde shuffled over to a large boulder he passed earlier while flapping the waterlogged paper noisily in the air in an effort to make it dry faster, but, to his extreme irritation, the edges of the map he had been holding tore away from the whole, sending the rest of the map on a wind-ridden trip back into the fast moving river.

"W-Wait!" He shouted, grabbing his discarded jacket as he raced downstream after the sheet. Honestly, there was no real reason why he should be chasing so…enthusiastically, seeing as it would be beyond his level of comprehension, but he couldn't just let it get away, especially not if it held some chance of him being able to figure out a way back to civilization. So in the end…

"Yes! I've got…!" The blonde shouted triumphantly as he fished the very important piece of paper out of a slow moving part of the river, his voice trailing off as he watched the ink on the sheet slowly run downwards with a petrified gaze. That was the least of his worries though as he could no longer discern his surroundings, seeing as he was now right in the middle of another forest.

Then a thought struck him…didn't he come through a forest to get to the glaciers? He must have gone the right way!

With the sun peaking in the morning sky and him in high spirits again he set off with a new drive, determined to greet his awaiting team back in the country's capital…

…Despite the fact of him having never seen the place before.

* * *

_  
-Three Days later in the same Valley-  
_  
The surrounding scenery about him blurred about him continuously in a myriad of greens and browns as he sped through the lush evergreen forest that encompassed most of the interior of the northern country. There was no time to be wasted; most of it having already been spent making return _trips_ to the capital. Yes…_trips_, as in the plural of _trip_, meaning more than _one_.

The first trip made was the escorting of the young princess and his two students back to the palace, which had taken all but an entire day to accomplish. Because they never had any intentions of coming so far away from the convoy, they had left without many supplies, leaving Kakashi with little choice but to relinquish his tent and his quite horrible tasting rations to a surprisingly silent and uncomplaining Koyuki.

The silence that ensued after she ate them silently and turned in for the night was almost disturbing and served to remind them of why exactly Naruto was such an integral part of their team.

Anyway, after they returned to the castle he asked the few that were in his company for anything that could be used to track the boy's scent. Nothing turned up so he had to return to the field empty handed with nothing to offer his _Ninken_. Nevertheless, he had to use them because he was shorthanded on usable staff at the moment but because of their lack of resilience to the cold weather (they weren't exactly of the husky breed), he found himself alone most of the time during his endeavor to recover the blonde nin and with so much ground to cover, he quickly realized he was fighting a losing battle.

So he tried again with his original plan and returned to the capital in hopes of obtaining a usable sample of the boy's unique odor. It was almost all for naught too, if he hadn't caught sight of the jacket that the brooding princess, in all her ceremonial splendor, had draped over her robe clad shoulders. It was the jacket she was wearing during the duration of the mission…the jacket she was wearing _while_ the blonde nin was _carrying_ her…

Honestly, he had to invoke his last remaining strength to stop himself from doubling over.

And it wasn't to say that she was cold either; he was standing there losing more water than a lake under a mid-day Suna sun, though that could be justifiably acquitted to the fact that he had been running almost non-stop since he left the search grounds.

So after asking…_very _politely if he could _borrow _the said jacket (with all the intentions of returning it _relatively_ unscathed mind you)_, _it brought him to his current position…three days and two round trips later at the legendary Rainbow Glaciers where he summoned his Ninken for the second time (and he was surprised to see them all in matching scarves no less).

Not that he was really complaining though since all that extra (albeit unnecessary) time to himself forced him to reevaluate his decisions.

In reality, it had been the same as last time with his former team; complete the mission or abandon it to rescue the one that had been captured and after all his past experiences with his former comrades, after all that talk about changing his morals and his shinobi ethics, he went back to his old hardened self and abandoned his most hardworking and eccentric pupil. No, wait…that wasn't exactly it. He still believed in his heart and soul that the value of teamwork preceded all other forms of logic when it came to missions but this case was special.

It was all unfinished business to him, an incomplete mission to be finally concluded. To protect the throne…to stop the uprising that was Dotou…

To avenge the souls that was his deceased ANBU mates who helped him to escape with the princess in tow…

To secure _Yukiguni's_ future by returning the princess to her throne and essentially ending the long 10 year struggle, that had been, to him, the most important issue at hand, more important than camaraderie.

So did he make the right decision? Yes, the answer was 'yes' and would always be 'yes' from an experienced shinobi's perspective, but it still didn't explain why he felt like the rawest form of sewage.

A howl sounded off in the distance and copy ninja changed his direction at an almost inhuman angle, so focused was he on keeping the newly caught trail despite his hunger and all-around fatigue, but as the seasonal warmth that the newly formed "Spring" brought gradually ebbed away back into cold this country knew so well, the former ANBU began to get worried. The boy had wandered way too far away from the vicinity of the warming effects of the generator and in such a short time too. It was a testament to the boy's god-like will and stamina.

"Kakashi!"

Kakashi looked up as Pakkun fell into step beside him without him having to break his rhythm. "The others are already there so let's hurry but be careful Kakashi, this place reeks of wolf."

He nodded at the heads-up and turned his attention skyward where he could see the tiny frozen particles drifting down from the canopy.

Why had the boy continued on if he had noticed (and it would be very hard not to) that it was getting colder? It didn't make much sense. "Are you guys sure Naruto came this way?"

The dog nodded in assurance, taking the lead. "There's no mistake."

Kakashi sighed; Naruto was truly a shinobi not to be underestimated, and now there was no doubt in his mind that that statement could absolutely go both ways.

----

The tall spruce trees gave way to barren ground and widely displaced shrubbery as the snowfall escalated into a blizzard, adding to the sense of forebodingness he was receiving from the quite sparse discovery site. His pack were all constantly moving (except for the biggest one…he just laid there nonchalantly which probably explained why he was half submerged in the snow), trying to avoid being buried underneath the fast accumulating ice crystals. Upon his arrival though, they all perked and huddled around the general area of the largest one, who took it upon himself to finally move.

"It's there Kakashi…"

Said nin raised an eyebrow, wondering what the small dog was talking about when he noticed a rather shapely hole in the snow covered earth. A hole that was, to his relief and somewhat dismay, way too small for a body to be found in. _"Oh, so that was what they were doing."_ They used the mass of the large dog to cover the hole to avoid having to dig through the snow again. He approached slowly, since he was never in a hurry to meet disappointment, and he reached in to retrieve a small item wrapped in a familiar worn blue cloth.

He knew what it was without having to open it.

"Is there nothing else beyond this?"

"That's it…" The small canine said tiredly, retaking his place atop his large companion's head. "Although…this might just be because of the cold, but I can't seem to differentiate between scents beyond this point. They're all muffled."

"_Muffled…?"_ It took the veteran nin only a moment to realize just exactly what the dog was saying. Altered perception of the physical plane was a common sign of a Genjutsu entrapment, but as far as he knew, there were none in the area that he had been able to detect. Kakashi reached for the cloth covering his hidden ability and split seconds later a Sharingan eye was set ablaze with its red iris, its tomoe revolving madly about the small circuit as they threatened to reveal all. Large tendrils of chakra entered his vision, weaving in and out of each other as they covered the entire expanse of the plains. What was also revealed however was the true path that lied within the field of warped reality…

A path that most likely led to their missing comrade…

"_But a Genjutsu that's undetectable by normal means and one that is able to cover such an expanse of land…"_ To create a _Genjutsu_ that intricate to cover such a wide area, inhuman amounts of chakra were needed which meant that the illusion was most likely being supported by a large group of experienced shinobi. Something big was hidden out here, something that was most likely beyond the ability of his lonesome. Naruto wouldn't just leave his forehead protector; it was planted there, meant to satisfy their curiosity about the lost teen and play on the fact that it would be just shy of impossible to search for the boy's whereabouts if they couldn't rely on their senses or on the environment for guidance.

However, they had managed to get involved with the wrong village, especially one that possessed two optical _kekkei genkai_ that thrived in these types of situations.

"Alright, you're all dismissed. I'll find my way back on my own." He said with a wave of his hand, allowing his _Ninken_ the comfort of returning home and out of this icy hell, something he would have liked to do himself but was instead rather occupied with other tasks.

First he had to compose a will (mainly consisting of what to do with his _Icha Icha_ collection) seeing as only _Kami-sama _knows what Tsunade would do to him when he returns to the village without Naruto. A simple task; he could do that on his way back.

Then he had to break the news to his two injured students and the _yukihime_. Sasuke and Sakura he knew would be relatively affected adversely by the news but…

His grip tightened around the thick fabric of the jacket he carried in his hands. She had been keeping it safe and untouched since her return to the castle, the main reason being that she did not want the last remaining thing she had left of Naruto – his scent – to disappear just yet. It was amazing really, how that blonde of theirs managed to completely change her mindset about this brutally cold country of hers in such a short span of time.

And now he was about to waltz right back into her chambers and not only tell her that the search was a dud, but because of his absentmindedness he had forgotten to store the jacket in a scroll after presenting it to his pack and now the scent the jacket once held was most definitely now lost due to his incessant running around.

Kakashi let out a lengthy sigh as he bounded off in the direction of the tree line in the distance, hoping to rid himself of this biting cold and re-enter the general vicinity of the generator where he would take a short rest before setting off again. He never really was one to turn to the heavenly deities to ask for help, but he felt like he was waist deep in a pool of shit that was threatening to pull him under and he was finding it quite difficult not to ask for some deliverance.

* * *

_  
-Back in __Yukiguni's __capital-__  
_  
Entering the meeting room after being officially announced, they came upon the scene of the Yukiguni delegate in her ceremonial robes chatting it up with their pink haired teammate and sharing a couple of laughs.

Though he had to wonder how much of it was truly genuine.

The elite Jônin heard the laughter dim suddenly and realized that all eyes were on them now. He quickly asked the two students of his to leave, giving them a silent promise to explain everything later, before returning his attention to the princess.

"Koyuki-hime…" He started, not planning on drawing it out.

"It's Ok…you don't have to say anything. I can guess from his lack of appearance that you were unsuccessful." She finished for him in a strained voice that he found hard to bear.

He sighed. "We found this…" He said, taking out the piece of worn metal. "It's his…I'm not sure how long ago he was separated from it, but since we found no body there's a good chance that he's been taken by someone and is still alive."

"What?!" Surprisingly it was Sasuke who voiced the most surprise.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked.

"Go back and ask for assistance. My specialty is tracking but I can only do so much with others to look after. I'd be able to accomplish more with a fully capable team of shinobi." Not that he was insulting Sasuke and Sakura, but he'd be able to move more freely if he didn't have to babysit.

"Are you going back now? Won't you stay longer?" She half pleaded with him. Her father was gone, Sandayu-san was gone and even Naruto, who had become important to her despite the fact that they met only a few days prior had disappeared beneath the snow of her homeland. She was alone now, and she shouldn't bear it.

"I'm sorry…We've not too long ago come out of a crisis ourselves so we don't have any free time to spare." Not to mention the fact that he had most likely just blown his only free time searching for Naruto. "I'll probably be sent on another mission as soon as I return." He muttered darkly just thinking about it.

She bowed. "Very well…I'll make sure your payment arrives within a week's time. Please have a safe, uneventful trip."

"We're counting on it." The team of shinobi bowed respectfully and turned to leave, vaguely aware that they were being followed out by the princess. Kakashi felt a tug on his jacket and he paused, glancing over his shoulder with an odd look.

"Kakashi-san…Are you sure he would have been happy?"

Kakashi sighed before nodding. "I'm…quite sure, Koyuki-hime." At least he was quite sure. Sometimes the boy's actions were a little besides him at times. The next question surprised him though.

"Even if he knew I wouldn't be?"

Kakashi paused for a moment to search for his words. "I believe…that if he thought you were unhappy by any chance, he would come back from the afterlife just to keep you smiling. Though it's not just with you, he's like that with all the people he cares about."

She kept her gaze averted from his own, staring blankly at nothing in particular. "From the time I was six, this country…has only taken from me."

"But you've regained something important haven't you?" He motioned to the tears making their way down her face. "You were able to face your past and regain that part of yourself that prevented you from moving forward."

"At what expense…?" Koyuki began to sob into her hands. "I didn't…I didn't want him to save me. I didn't want him to risk his life for someone like me…"

Kakashi turned, forcing her to let go as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He would have done it even if you didn't ask."

"But what am I supposed to do now?"

"Persevere, and greet him with a smile when he returns." He grabbed her wrist and placed the worn metal into her palm, watching as her eyes went wide with curiosity. "Don't ever give up or run away; you owe him at least that much."

Her tears began anew when she heard the man's play on the boy's favorite words and she clutched the piece of metal tightly against her bosom, pressing into the Jônin's shoulder who petted her hair nervously as if he was stroking a cactus. Two of her assistants ran up to her immediately to offer their assistance however and he gratefully thanked them, taking his leave after giving a short bow.

Kakashi turned and continued his trek outside where Sasuke and Sakura were waiting. Seeing the haggard appearance of the girl brought a chuckle from his lips.

"It was rough wasn't it Sakura?"

"Yes…" Sakura admitted wearily. "I didn't know which one of us was having the harder time actually."

Kakashi shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about her too much though…She now has the weight of an entire country on her shoulders; between acting and governing Yukiguni, she won't have the time to feel sorry for herself."

"Oh…" Sakura deadpanned before addressing him again. "Umm, Kakashi-sensei, are you sure you should have left her the headband though? Hokage-sama might not…"

"I'll deal with Tsunade-sama when the time comes so don't worry about it. For now, you two should at least hear what I found out on the search." He said dismissively as they continued on out of the castle and towards the caravans.

He honestly hoped he sounded as confident as he appeared.

* * *

_-Elsewhere-_

Five figures in white medical outfits, matching shades and face masks stood over one unconscious body, checking its physical condition and scribbling their findings down on their pads with a mixture between boredom and concentration marked on their furrowed brows.

"I heard there was a new prospect to inspect?" A new person entered the room, stepping lightly against pure white tiles as he feminine voice rang through the room. "Hmm? It's a boy…?"

"As you can see quite clearly…" One of the five said, sarcasm lacing his every word.

"No…I mean it's a child…" She corrected.

"The ophthalmology sect is open from eight to five…" This time it was a different voice. Well, at least she thought it was since you couldn't really tell with their mouths all covered and stuff and those assholes all tended to sound the same.

"What I meant was…" The woman grated out, inwardly cursing every single one of the sardonic bastards. "It's been a while since we've had a child wander into our midst."

"What are you doing here, Genjutsu mistress-san?" Their patience had apparently reached its limits.

"Yes…do you not have other issues to attend to?"

"Yes…Issues preferably away from the medical department?"

The woman grounded her teeth together. She didn't know why the bastards hated her so much! It was just one tiny illusion! The place was always so dull and dreary and the people always looked like the walking dead! "I'm just here filling in for your mistress you little turds, stop making things so difficult for me. What's the status?"

"He's sleeping…"

"He has a fever…"

The boy's stomach gurgled loudly. "And it seems he's a bit hungry as well."

The woman growled. "I am so going to kill you sons-of…"

"That's not necessary…" A new person entered the room, giggling at her friend's expense. "Could you please give me the extensive report?"

"He's suffering from a mild case of fatigue, collapse due to the combined effects of poor nutrition and a high fever. There are no other _overlying_ conditions, master."

"That's it?" The Genjutsu mistress stared disbelievingly at the five gathered around the table. "You cocksuckers were giving me such a hard time for that?!"

The medic nins ignored her and the chief took up the offered chart. "Are you insinuating that there were underlying problems?"

"Well, there was the issue of frostbite and the over stressing of his muscles with chakra usage, but after we begun the standard procedure of re-warming his body, something strange happened…"

"Yes…something strange indeed."

The chief medic 'hmmed' in response. _"Experience with channeling chakra…a ninja?"_

"Really now…and what, pray tell, was so strange about it?"

The five medics rounded on the Genjutsu mistress suddenly and she shrunk back behind her medic friend.

"Well if you _must _know, his abdomen began to glow…"

"Glow?"

"Yes…a bright red."

"We were a little curious so we decided to take a look under the robe and we saw something…"

"Something…_very_…strange…"

"Okay, Can I see?" The illusionist said curiously, peering over the shoulder of one of the medics and reaching for the sheet only to have her hand swatted away furiously. "OW! What the hell was that for?!" She screamed, looking for the perpetrator but could find no indications of its identity.

"Mosquito…"

"It is gone now…"

"There are no mosquitoes in the north!" She hissed.

"May I see the patient?"

The five moved as one to remove the cloth they used to cover the boy's body (further irritating the mistress of illusions), revealing the stark naked specimen and the unique markings on his stomach.

"A…seal?"

"Our conclusion also…"

"But after it glowed something else…strange…happened. His wounds all began to heal gradually but not all at the same time or rate either."

"Also, because his fever is still there, we were led to believe that the 'healing' is limited in certain aspects."

"Have you been able to decipher exactly what the seal does?"

"No…seal is too complex to unravel without corresponding knowledge and careful consideration of consequences."

"Ok good…" The chief medic said, jotting down notes of her own. "Anything else I should know about?"

"He was formerly associated with a village on the mainland, it was reported that his symbol was left behind as it was the only thing of value on his body at the time."

"I see…"

"Wait. Symbol? Village? Are you saying he's a shinobi?"

The five identical medics simply stared at the genuinely lost illusionist as the chief merely giggled in amusement.

"Please have his fever taken care of and progress reports on his condition are to be filed and placed on my desk periodically." Making a few more definitive strokes on her sheet with her pen she closed the folder, taking note of the name on its cover before smiling.

"Uzumaki Naruto huh? You might be the most interesting one yet…"

* * *

**A/N: Nothing really to say here except "Here's to hoping we make it to Konoha this time around…" (lol). Pairings will be revealed later on...I promise. I just have to straighten out a few more things.  
**

**As always I would like to thank you for taking the time out to read and I hope to see you at the next update.**

**Please leave a review…**


	2. Unsettling Attractions

**The Encroaching Frost**

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special thanks to holyknight5 for all his support!

**Chapter 2: Unsettling Attractions…**

* * *

_Drip…drip…_

_He was on his back drifting through a world of black. There was nothing to be seen through his __somnolent__ eyes, the only thing to be felt being the 'water' through which his body floated lifelessly. His mouth was inexplicably dry considering he was surrounded by so much wetness and with his ears submerged all I could hear was the deep sound of light objects hitting the surface of the liquid he was half immersed in._

_It was so familiar…it was all so…familiar…_

_He tried to move his hands but found he could not squeeze. He tried his legs and found he could not kick. His entire body was locked in a state of unnerving paralysis as he let the current carry his body off into the unknown._

_A glow of red gradually begun to encroach on his position in the liquid mass, slowly illuminating the place in a strangely warm light, and he took his time identifying the place or more rather, what he could see on the ceiling. Large metallic pipes were interlocked about the roof of the room creating a large system that stretched on for as far as he could see. A drop of liquid dropped gently onto his face from above…so that was what was making those noises. Someone needed to call a plumber to fix that, he thought jokingly._

"_**Come…"**_

_What? Was someone calling him? He tried to call out but his mouth would not open and his voice would not carry._

"_**Come boy…" **_

_He drifted to a stop against something hard and he winced in pain, unable to rub at the sore spot due to his unmoving arms. His body began to sink under the surface of the unknown fluid; torso, arms, legs then the head, each one succumbing after the next due to the combined weight of the whole. Small, tiny bubbles left his open mouth as he continued his slow descent downwards. He wasn't breathing as far as he could tell, but was he ever breathing to begin with? They were beginning to cry out in pain now from their lack of action and he clenched his jaw shut unknowingly. _

_His mind steadily became aware as he tried to get a grip on his situation and his eyes opened fully, arms and legs twitching before springing wildly every which way in his panic induced state, his mind screaming telepathic messages to anyone who would listen as he continued to get dragged under by the invisible force.  
_

"_H-Help me!"_

"_**Calm yourself…It is not your time yet, nor is it my."**_

"_Huh?"_

_He felt something envelop him, something warm and comforting and he was finally able to close his eyes, so secure he felt at the time. He could feel his body breaking the surface of the fluid as it was being pulled by whatever encircled him._

"_**Open your eyes…"**_

_He listened to the voice and tried to do as it said but sadly he could not, too enraptured was he with the feeling of that impeccable warmth. The voice pressed on and the warmth increased one-hundredfold, turning into scorching heat as it torched his mind and burned his insides. His eyes were pried open as they bled red, head turning to fill his vision with two large, crimson slits that pierced his soul like none other. Realization dawned on him…_

_He knew what this place was…_

_He knew who that terrifying gaze belonged to…_

"_K-K-Kyūbi!" _

"_**Leave this place…NOW!"**_

Two crimson eyes shot open to meet a bright white, the light piercing unused retinas painfully as eyelids slammed shut like steel shutters. Behind the darkness of his eyelids flashes of his earlier encounter with the fox sealed inside him returned one by one, and the longer the memories drew on, the more disbelief he was feeling.

"_The fox…the fox was…no, that can't be true…"_

He looked down at his hands, noting how his nails had lengthened abnormally. He ran his tongue along the length of his bottom lip, two barriers preventing it from reaching the corners where his lips met. His canines had obviously grown, and he didn't need a mirror to know how the rest of his face had looked.

So it was real. Somehow he had ended up in the cell, met the Kyūbi where it…it…

"_AH!! It's so creepy that I don't even want to think about it anymore!"_

Of course it tried to boil him alive from the inside out afterwards which was undoubtedly 'bastard fox' material, but it was still way beyond the level of creepiness that fox was allowed at any given time!

Exasperated beyond all forms of logic, he reached up weakly to rub at the pain induced eyes as the damaging chakra receded within his depths, bringing the two orbs to tolerable levels and he attempted to open them a second time.

A Milky-white ceiling that glittered with a soft intensity filled his vision first and he rose slowly to a seated position to notice that the other walls were of the same manner also. Looking to his left he saw what he recognized as a nutrient drip, having come across it numerous times in his stays at the hospital in his home village, and a single long rectangular window adorning the wall in the background. His gaze filled the room entirely and he noticed it was very sparse; containing only a table and a few chairs in the corner on his far left and the door in the corner in the right.

All in all, it was a very simple hospital room…a hospital room that he was sure he wasn't familiar with.

His body tensed as his look turned from curious to weary as he struggled to remember just how he wound up in the situation.

_**-Flashback-**_

_After deciding to find another way around, Naruto began his long trek through the large evergreen forest somewhere behind the legendary Rainbow Glaciers. His stomach let out a low, agonizing growl; he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday's breakfast and he was hoping to find something remotely edible in the large forest. _

_He looked skyward and frowned, figuring he had about 2-3 hours before nightfall. _

"_No food, no shelter, and shit…it's starting to get really cold." He cursed as he hunched slightly and rubbed his hands together to put some warmth in his extremities. What he wouldn't do for that ugly winter coat Kakashi-sensei made them buy in that port city place._

_Damn those bastards for taking his things when he was captured._

_After a half an hour of walking and having a nice conversation with his talkative stomach he came across a pack of wolves. They were about 6 of them, each varying in size and the last step he made seemingly caught the attention of the largest one. It was huge for a wolf and he figured that if he was to actually stand beside it, its head would easily reach his chest. Its coat was a dark grey, with white adorning his paws, the tip of his tail and the centre of his forehead in what looked like a jagged upside-down triangle. He had a scar running down his left eye and down to the right side of his muzzle._

_And now that he had its attention, Naruto was shitting bricks._

_That's how it was for the next couple of minutes, him vs. the massive wolf in a one on one deadlock of wills. __One of the wolves apparently got tired of the staring contest and snarled at him while letting out a few warning growls. Naruto took a hesitant step back as the wolf looked ready to strike when the leader growled. Apparently it meant in wolf language to 'back off' since the smaller wolf settled down considerably before it darted off after its leader when it decided to head out. _

_One other wolf stayed behind however, a medium sized one about half his height on all fours with a well groomed snow-white coat and mesmerizing amber eyes. It stood rooted to one spot, staring at him without remorse for its actions before a resounding howl from somewhere off in the distance snapped it out of its apparent trance, sending it trotting off reluctantly._

_Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he watched the last of the wolves disappear beyond the foliage. That was it…there was no friggin' way he was spending the night out here now._

_----_

"_C-Could you s-stop f-following me a-already!" Naruto screamed a little shakily, pointing a finger in the snow-white wolf's direction that only seemed to flinch at the harshness of his command. The thing had been following for the better part of a couple days now, nudging him every time he would collapse, offering him food during the times when he thought he couldn't go on any longer (even though said food was always small white rabbits, which always seemed to worsen his mood because it reminded him of Haku repeatedly) and even though he appreciated the gestures, really, since they continued to save his life, he didn't want to have to be in debt to a wolf. _

_He coughed noisily and staggered on his feet, his body having been racked with a terrible fever for sometime now and his knees buckled, sending him forcefully to the ice-cold earth as the storm they were immersed in continued to ravage his body. The wolf approached him once more and lied beside his shivering body, whimpering whilst nudging him with its warm muzzle._

_Naruto coughed loudly again, trying his best to put on a disappointed glare but couldn't muster the strength to do so. "I-I thought I t-told you to l-leave m-me alone…" His stomach grumbled and the wolf moved, presumably to procure him something but he stopped it, placing an arm around its large body. "N-No, don't go…" He words coming out as harsh whispers due to his parched throat. The wolf seemingly understood, taking its place next to him again and he smiled thankfully. "Y-You're…s-so w-warm…"_

_His arm slackened around the wolf's body as he fell unconscious, a blissful sleep taking him into the world of dreams._

_**-Flashback End-**_

His mind wavered a bit, still a bit disoriented was he from being asleep all that time, but he could remember what happened to him clearly now. Despite all his yelling and screaming the wolf had still stuck with him in the end, but what happened afterwards? Did Kakashi-sensei find him? Was he in the capital now? If Kakashi and the others did find him, why weren't they here to greet him when he woke up?

He threw his legs slowly over the side of the bed, his feet meeting the floor with a bit a pain attached and he rose slowly, remembering all those times he took a spill in his apartment due to lightheadedness. The sheet pooled around his feet revealing a white, buttoned-up, long sleeve shirt with matching bottoms and he made his way to the door on the far side of the room, hugging the wall tiredly as he went.

Sliding the door open he peered outside first to the left then right, noting how the walls of white stretched on endlessly to converge at a point down to his left. Long white benches lined the wall on the side he was standing on, the wall opposite him possessing only long rectangular windows separated occasionally by columns. He noticed with slight trepidation that both benches on either side of his door were empty; in fact the entire hallway was devoid of life which only seemed to add to his worrisome state.

"Kakashi-sensei…Sasuke…Sakura-chan…" His voice travelled down into the empty, noiseless corridor, returning to him at different intervals of weakening intensity. Hands splayed against the white walls as he leaned against it, Naruto swallowed his building fear and forced his body to move forward.

Pit…pat…pit…pat…

Despite him being barefooted, his feathered footsteps still echoed loudly in the unknown building. The tired blonde paused against the wall he was currently leaning on as he came upon an intersection, the paths diverging either to the left or straight ahead, and in the middle was this sort of waiting area with multiple rows of chairs laid out, a small cubicle in the corner with a young medic behind it doing what appeared to be 'work'. He approached the nin because he was genuinely lost, stumbling every so often and even going so far as to displace a few chairs when he used them to regain his balance. If the medic looked annoyed at the extra work brought to him he didn't show it, choosing only to stare at the boy with a subdued expression as the blonde made his way over.

"Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto looked up in surprise. "H-How did you…"

"I think I'd remember the name of the only person in this part of the intensive care ward who is supposed to be asleep right now." The man stated with a small smile. "How may I help you?"

"Where am I…where's Kakashi-sensei and the others…?"

One of the medic's hands disappeared behind his back, his smile never fading. "I think you should get some rest Uzumaki-san. You're still feeling quite dizzy aren't you?"

"What…? No…I'm…" He slurred, holding his head in one hand as he was hit by a sudden wave of unease.

"_You're still feeling quite dizzy, aren't you?"_ The man's voice echoed in his head, every syllable coming out slow and distorted as the world about him twisted and turned into a kaleidoscopic view of colors. He looked up into the man's face, flinching at how it had become a highly disfigured version of its former self and he slowly inched himself backwards into one of the many awaiting chairs.

The medic patted him on his shoulder. "I'll get some help, Ok?"

The blonde sat quietly, head lolling to the side as he flowed in and out of his 'high'. The man had long returned to his place behind the reception desk, doing whatever it was he was doing before he had arrived.

"_Ohhh…that's some awesome orange right there…" _He whispered in awe and he swore he heard a snort.

Suddenly two more people, a hulk of a man in similar medic-nin wear and a young woman wearing what he could describe as casual clothing arrived in the waiting area. He couldn't hear what they were saying exactly nor could he pick out the exact details of their appearances (too distracted was he by the very pretty colors), but from the way they were moving their hands and from how fast their lips were moving he could tell there was a small argument going on.

"Come Uzumaki-san; let's get you back to your room." The new male arrival said as they approached, the glinting metal around his upper arm catching his attention. He squinted in his vertigo induced stupor as the man bent to pick him up, trying to make out the symbol that was etched on the shiny object.

Four dots…three forming a small triangle while the fourth hung in the space off to the right, forming a line with the other two.

Then, as if he was given a jolt from a Raiton jutsu, all the memories of his past battles with those armor wielding nins came rushing back. The cause for all their hardship…

The cause for the princess' pain…

Naruto pushed on the man with what little strength he could muster in his clouded state, surprising him slightly as he slipped out the chair before crawling with every intention of getting away from him. "No…that symbol…bad people…stay…away…"

The other two seemed to finally notice his actions and the three began to round on him (the two men more than the female), forcing him back to the windowed wall.

"Uzumaki-san, we're not going to harm you."

"N-No…" His body wasn't responding the way he wanted it too. They drew closer…

"H-Help me…someone…" He called out and two large crimson hues opened in response…

"STAY AWAY!"

----

White robes raked the floor with its hem as another new arrival paused to gaze with passive eyes upon the scene that was the disarrayed reception area before moving to join the equally passive teen by her side.

"Uzumaki?" He inquired, motioning towards the chairs in which he received a sigh.

The teenage female beside him nodded and pointed down the hall where the current commotion was being staged. "Uzumaki…"

----

His coils began to stir, restoring balance to his body and senses before it exploded in a flash of red, filling his body with renewed vigor. Red irises and slit pupils worked in unison, searching for an opening in the pincer and he dashed recklessly towards it, the thin medic he first met having little time to react as he was pushed roughly into the wall to make room. He could have gone for the lady of course, but she scared him somewhat. The 'drugs' in his system made themselves known once more, making his movements sluggish and clumsy as he ran with haste away from his captors but unfortunately for him they would not let him escape that easily.

The large man blurred into his path and with another burst of speed Naruto faked to the right clumsily to try and escape past the man on his left, only to have his gut driven inwards as the man buried his fist deep. Humbled like the child he was, the blonde sank to his knees, coughing up air as bile climbed high into his thoat. He could barely make out the shouts of warnings the muscle of the group received over the pounding of his heart in his ears. Wiping the spit that managed to escape his lips, Naruto prepared to lunge at the man again armed only with the elongated nails on each hand but his arms froze by his side, a result from his entire body locking in place as an overwhelming, bone-chilling presence appeared from nowhere to bear down its entirety on his small body.

"That is enough, _Uzumaki-san…_"

Moving on pure instinct, Naruto scrambled away on all fours from whatever it was that was behind him, ending up back first against the large medic's legs staring up with terrified eyes at whoever (or whatever) could be so menacingly imposing outside the fox's realm. Two ice-blue eyes and another similar piece of glinting metal hanging around the man's neck were the only things that filled his vision as the man flashed within reach, and with a whisper of "Sleep" and a gentle poke to the forehead he knew no more.

----

"I merely came today to catch a glimpse of our new arrival but it seems he had other plans…" The unknown man in white robes rose from his kneeling position, the young lady who had yet to do anything moving in behind him.

"My apologies…he was supposed to be unconscious." The thin medic said slightly bemused, scratching the back of his head. "Admittedly the one that was currently in effect in his room was one of the weaker ones, but he shouldn't be showing signs of resistance already."

"Azumi, I leave him to you. Deal with this how you see fit and send for me after he is in a better condition to receive my welcome." The robe clad delegate turned on his heel. "He is not to leave, and he is not to know of where he is or of his situation. I will explain everything."

"Hai…"

* * *

Pat, pat…rub, rub…

Breathe in…

Breathe out…

Up!

Then heave…

"Ungh…" Sasuke had pretty much been in this manner for the past few hours as his body lurched to and fro in time with the vessel's rocks over the churning water of the northern seas. Normally he wouldn't have had such a problem with travelling over the ocean seeing as he had made the trip up just fine, but apparently there was a storm passing somewhere nearby according to the person-in-charge, and they were close enough to feel its effects. To make matters worse, that bastard Kakashi hadn't told them anything about what had happened while he was out in the frozen wilderness – the stinking lecher had promptly passed out the moment they boarded the ship – and though he wouldn't say it out loud, he would rather know what happened to the idiot now rather than later. The situation had him on edge, and as the boat pulled further and further away from the snow covered country he couldn't keep thoughts of forcing the boat to turn around until he was sure that nothing more could be done.

With his head still resting on his forearms he turned to face the girl beside him who had had been standing there staring aimlessly out into the vast waters for Kami-sama knows how long, patting and rubbing his back only when the situation called for such an action. No glossy, starry eyes directed at him, no coos of pointless fan-girl dribble in his ears, not even one word uttered so far during the trip back aside from the occasional mumble. For once he was entertaining the idea of her being a fake, her silent play whilst in his presence going against every registered law of reality written for 'Haruno Sakura'.

Groaning slightly Sasuke lifted his head slightly to get his jaw in a moving position. "Sakura, I'm fine. You don't have to be here…" He managed, turning his head away again in his embarrassment. He was still a proud Uchiha, and having Sakura see him in such a state was not particularly bringing him comfort despite her somewhat calming ministrations.

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

There it was again, that manner of passiveness that threatened to instill worry for the pink-haired girl into even one such as him. The girl didn't even spare him a glance as she spoke and even though he didn't particularly want her to look at him, the thought of something else occupying her thoughts that thoroughly when such a grand specimen of male perfection stood beside her was disconcerting – he wasn't about to say he was envious, especially considering who it was she was worrying about – to say the least.

A rather large man in a dirty, white apron stepped onto the deck and announced that dinner was being served and Sasuke moved, more than willing to make up for the amount of food he lost earlier. Sakura was more aware than he thought it seemed, and looked up when he moved away from her.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Let's eat…" Sasuke said, clenching and unclenching his fist as he moved towards the mess hall. "After that we can kill Kakashi for making us wait."

"I-I…" First Sakura's face took up a look of worry, probably because the focus of her attention had been found out by the wrong person, but seeing as he made no move to call her directly on it, she relaxed slightly and forced a smile to the surface. "Fine, just as long as I get to stab him a few times before you run him through with the Chidori."

Sasuke shrugged. "No guarantees there. Grand fireballs tend not to leave too much physical evidence."

Sakura laughed and they continued their pointless banter as the moved towards the dining hall together, some of the crew wincing as they overheard some of the more brutal acts the two nins described in every gruesome detail. The doors to the hall swung open and the two sat down in the corner, the chef immediately approaching them with their meals.

"Here ya go lad, lass…"

The bowls placed before them looked anything but appetizing as they gazed upon with frightened eyes a mess of fish tails and fish heads swimming in a pool of some thick green vegetable broth, an equally green gas rising up from the bowls towards the ceiling. However, he was hungry and the smell wasn't too bad so he would take a chance. Maybe he could close his eyes and…

An eyeball turned over in the disgusting slop and peered at him…

As Sasuke dashed through the halls towards the deck with Sakura hot on his heels, he found it somewhat comforting to know that if Naruto had been there with them at that moment, he would have been upchucking over the rail in the same manner.

They would then find out later (after they threatened the guy) that it had all been a hoax.

* * *

"**The great U-zu-ma-ki Naruto graces me with his presence…" **

_The fox stressed every syllable in his family name as its deep booming voice bounced repeatedly off the walls of the large chamber to beat on his body several times, causing him to sway slightly on his feet. He said nothing as he stood before the large iron bars. Actually, he himself didn't know how or why he had ended up in the place. The fox wouldn't show itself but he could see its shadow looming in the background; it appeared to be lounging on it belly. When he didn't respond the large carnivorous canid deemed it fit to continue._

"**Even after you surreptitiously asked for my assistance you return, yet again, in the throes of your own impending demise." **_The fox smirked._** "Do you enjoy my company that much boy?"**

_Naruto bristled, feeling the mocking grin being directed on him. "I don't remember asking for your help fox!"_

"**I see…how presumptuous of me. I shall know better next time."**

_The Kyūbi withdrew back into the depths of its cell and he could feel the space about him begin to dissipate as he was gradually being forced from his mind. _

"_W-Wait, I have some questions to ask damn it! NO…!"_

Naruto shot up in the small bed, or he would have had he not been restrained tightly by large leather straps around his torso, arms and legs. He forgot about his little happenings with the bastard fox for the moment and focused on struggling weakly in his binds, whatever it was that was in his system returning full force. "W-What…?"

"Precautionary measures…" A voice sounded from his right and he recognized it immediately. It was the woman with the mechanical voice. "You are recovering from an illness and it is unwise if you continue to move about unabashedly."

"Who are you…?"

As she stepped out from the shadows Naruto took that time to fully look her over. Because of her dull voice, he was under the impression that she was several years older than he was when she was only but a few. Hair of pure white disappeared behind her, several strands of hair separating from the mass to conform to her bodily features as they fell from the sides of her face over the width her shoulders.

"My name is Shiraiyuki Azumi and I have been designated as your caretaker for the duration of your stay here." She reached out towards him with pale hands and she adjusted the straps on his arms and legs on one side.

"W-What are…you doing?"

"You are hungry are you not?" She asked evenly as she adjusted them further before moving over to the other side, his stomach answering for him. "I am preparing you for your meal. I am not so…unkind as to allow you to eat lying down; it is bad for digestion."

She leaned over his midsection to adjust the strap there, the piece of metal dangling over her rather…um…appreciable bust taunting him with its symbol and overall shininess but he just couldn't bring himself to complain about it since there was something else at the forefront of his mind. Their proximity allowed for more that the exchange of body heat and simple energy between them, and while he particularly didn't want to think about how he smelt to the girl beside him, he could do nothing but think of the intoxicating aroma belonging to her that was teasing his small nose. It was light, lingering in the air only long enough to entice him, and it was unique yet unmistakably familiar, drawing him towards her body with a strange magnetism.

"Neesan, you smell good…"

The words left his mouth before he was even aware and he pulled back sharply as if his nose had been singed by a flame, understanding lost to him as he tried to figure out what would even possess him to utter such words, to enter her space in the manner that he did. Suddenly his eyes clenched shut and his head turned sharply away from her as if he had been expecting something.

"Uzumaki-san, you should not be making such sharp movements so soon after waking." Azumi scolded gently, applying chakra to her hands as she returned his head to its former position when he found he could not do so himself. She sat down and brought the trolley towards her before taking up the chopsticks with the intention of feeding him.

Naruto eyed the food that was lodged between the two pieces of wood warily, then the stoic woman, before eyeing the food once more. Of course he was hungry – his verbally abusive stomach made no indications otherwise – but he wasn't about to fall for some lame trick to poison him! He was Uzumaki Naruto damn it! He couldn't be Hokage if he went around getting his ass owned by a bowl of rice!

Seeing his obvious distrust Azumi sampled the food herself, waited a few moments so he could be sure it wasn't a delayed effect, before changing chopsticks and holding out a fresh portion for him to consume.

"T-The mashed-potatoes too…"

"…" She followed the same procedure with the squashed spuds.

"And the peas…"

"…"

"And whatever that brown stuff there is…"

Slightly amused, Azumi proceeded to sample the piece of meat as was ordered. "Uzumaki-san, I am afraid that if I take any more of your food there will be none left for you to eat." She reached for the bowl of rice once more. "There is no need for you to be so wary towards me or anyone else you should come across in the hospital. No one here plans on causing harm to you."

"Then why can't you…tell me where the hell I am?" He asked between bites.

Her lips made a slight downward turn. "The leader of this village expressed his wishes to speak to you of such matters himself once you have returned to good health, and has asked that we not divulge any information to you before then." She had no idea why her father preferred to do it as such, but he needed to realize that it only seemed to cause the patients further distress.

"That's…pretty stupid."

"Yes it is." She agreed and they fell into silence.

Naruto continued to eat the offered food in silence, his eyes never ceasing to return to the metallic symbol resting there. He couldn't remember much from when he had been up and walking about, but he was sure that he had seen two others with the same protectors. They weren't dressed like the other Snow nins they had come across before though, donning a more casual and refined (in the case of the scary person) look as compared to the militant style of the others. He wasn't in the iron fortress he could be sure of, since they had all but demolished it during their escape and the interior of the building he was currently in didn't match with the interior design of the metallic stronghold, so did that mean he was in their village? That man in the robes looked like someone important, as the Sandaime had when he was Hokage so could this new person hold the same amount of power?

"Uzumaki-san?"

"Oh…" He had forgotten he was in the middle of being fed. As he looked over the white-haired girl from her gentle, pale hands to those dense, lifeless eyes, he realized that she really did not intend to hurt him but what exactly did that mean? Were they going to just overlook his presence in the mission to return the princess to the throne? Were they even the same as those Nin that attacked them before?

However, more than that symbol, more than those ninja having anything to do with his current predicament, he just had to know how she got that smell about her.

He could not remember before but the longer he had been exposed to it the more he came to remember where he had found it first or more rather, whom he had found it _on_ first. It was the same as the one _she _wore but different also. They both pulled on his sense of smell in the same way and yet the one before him was considerably weaker than the "original". Who's to say though that this one wasn't the original and the other a mere copy? Whatever, he didn't particularly care about the details. The problem was that someone who bore the symbol of their latest adversaries possessed the same scent as _her_ and it disturbed him greatly.

Because he felt that she didn't deserve it; someone belonging to a village that had done so many wrongs against its original bearer, didn't deserve to wear it.

His head drooped to the side, his eyes meeting hers with an unsettling darkness that forced the medic girl to pause in every action she was about to make as they drew her in silently.

"I'm a ninja…from Konoha." He began.

* * *

**A/N: There was supposed to be much more in this chapter, so much more in fact that I decided to draw it to a close here. I know that it kinda leaves you quite unfulfilled (especially after all that time) but I'm still trying to wrap my hands around the next few scenes.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated as usual.**

**Andoryu**


	3. Rusting from the outside in

**The Encroaching Frost**

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special thanks to holyknight5 for all his support!

**Chapter 3: Rusting from the outside-in…**

_Begins on the night of the 4__th__ day after Naruto's disappearance…_

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura knocked timidly on the wooden door before pushing inwards, the joints in the rusted hinges rubbing noisily against each other as the door opened with a loud groan. A single candle flickering in the corner amidst the darkness set the room alit in a low orange glow, and the form of her sensei could be seen resting on the small bed, sheets drawn up conveniently over the lower portion of his face to keep his normally hidden features remained hidden. Beside the bed, a single futon was laid out and was most likely Sasuke's, but the boy was nowhere in sight thankfully. She would have hated to have to ask him to leave.

A sudden shift in his breathing caused the sheet to dislodge from its place on his face, and Sakura could only watch in minute horror (and slight anticipation) as it began to make its way downward in slow motion. Sakura looked about fleetingly, her mind reeling at thoughts of what to do.

On one hand, it was one of the most closely guarded secrets in Konoha: Kakashi's face. And because it wasn't exactly a secret that needed to be kept a secret, it was something that allured even the most daring of treasure seekers to stalk the ever elusive elite. Only a select few had ever only seen the features of the lower half of his face – the inner circle of the inner circle she'd heard them be called occasionally – a she _really _wanted to be a part of it (if only to have a one-up on Ino).

On the other hand, because she had never seen it before and because Kakashi had never deemed it appropriate to show them openly and freely, she had always been bothered about what exactly he was hiding. What if it was some horrible scar that sparked an emotional one whenever exposed? Or what if it was an equally horrible disfiguration of his face like missing lips or even worse, a mouth that looks like it came right off of a horse's one?

She shuddered at the thought.

She was sure that an image like that would be one that would ruin her image of her mysterious sensei forever, the mistake that would haunt her for the rest of her days every time she gazed upon the clothed face.

So when the cotton sheets continued to reveal the length of his nose and were about to take that final plunge that would change her life forever, Sakura made her decision right then and there…

"NO!" Sakura screamed hysterically as she leapt for the bed.

----

The massive barge swayed with a drunken stagger as it plowed through the open seas, taking one wayward passenger for a stumble into the adjacent wall, their mood worsening because of the pain the impact brought upon his bandaged side. Despite this, through the dark hall he trudged on, the dark glint in his eyes being made known only by the flicker of the lanterns lining the metallic walls. Stepping onto the deck of the ship the darkness became overwhelming as the moonless sky painted the world about him black but a problem it did not pose. For an assassin he was, born and bred in the darkness to do every, single, conceivable dirty deed it required of him, so he was quite content with all it brought.

However, there was no denying how…restless he was feeling at the moment.

It wasn't the kind of restless that just made you lay in bed all night thinking. No, he was _way_ beyond that point already. He was tired of thinking…he wanted to _do_ something. He wanted to _punch_ something, to release the pent up frustration that had been stagnating in his body ever since this metallic monstrosity left the snow laden port the day before.

No…it was way before that. Feelings of anger and frustration could be traced way back to when he first awoke in his futon, lying dazedly as he took the news in strides he never knew he had.

So that's exactly what he did when he left his shared room with his lazy, bastard of a sensei to head for the deck of the ship to wreak havoc on something in the chilly night air, hence the reason he was now fuming and staring wide-eyed at his red, throbbing hand.

He sank to his knees and clutched at his ribs, noting that the wild punch must have disturbed his previous injury and he cursed through clenched teeth. Twice…_twice_ so far had he been taken out of commission by an enemy in an attempt to help the bumbling, blonde idiot, only to wake up after a concluded battle with name 'Uzumaki' stamped on the owned ass of their fallen opponent.

Sasuke was never one to sulk over who defeated who; they both knew the task could never have been completed without the other and it was what made their, dare he say camaraderie so…bearable at times as compared to others. They would never be able to get the one-up on each other, locking them in a never ending battle of attrition and, in a way, Sasuke was quite fine with that. For if Naruto ever came out on top, even once, Sasuke would have to crush him – the cursed blood coursing through his veins and his malevolent path of the Shinobi would demand the blonde's head bowed before him in a supreme act of dominance.

No, what troubled him most was that he had gone there with all intents and purposes directed into helping, and the outcome had been anything but a pleasant victory.

Why had he gone in the first place? Showing off had never been his style; it had always been a longstanding fact that he simply performed and others would gloat for him. He knew something, information gained only after witnessing it first hand, and he was going to assist as was needed…as was taught to him. And he had done it too, managing to place a crack into the suit's power source.

…

A crack…

A bloody _crack_…

What was the fucking point in him going there in the first place?!

Throughout their wait in Yukiguni he could not rest. He could not rest calmly and say 'I did my part' with a peace of mind when he himself knew that he did absolutely nothing!

Sasuke had never been ungrateful for the things he had received. He was proud to have received the name 'Uchiha'…he was thankful for the time spent with his family…but most of all, he was thankful for the time spent with his brother despite how things turned out.

However, for the first time in his life, this blinding weakness that was bestowed upon him – probably as a result of a misplace gene he reasoned – was the one thing he could say with the utmost certainty that he was not, and never will be grateful for. Forever would he despise the gods that would deem it fit to shun him and bless a child that would eventually turn on his entire family.

This weakness that did absolutely nothing but bring shame unto his name and the once notorious name of his family was something he could not tolerate!

For when the dust settled and the aftermath revealed it made him feel helpless, reminding him of what made him what he was that day, how he was made a fool of by the person he trusted most…

…and how he was forced to bear witness to the deaths of his mother and father…repeatedly at that.

This weakness was what made him what he was today, but he could not live as an _avenger_ with it…

He could not survive with it…

Most importantly though, he could not _kill_ with it…

The seal on his neck burned a fiery orange-red…

Enough was enough…he needed more.

His flesh tingled as the markings spread across the surface of his skin like a hungry flame…

"_More…" _His body was completely covered in markings now and he could feel the chakra raging throughout his coils as his bones cracked and popped in their process of mending.

"_I need more…" _Chakra of a deep violet began to swirl about him violently, a serpent's maw manifesting briefly in one of its tendrils…

"_Much, much more!"_

When the chakra died down the markings had already receded and a spent Sasuke could be seen lying on his side, huge puffs of vapor escaping his lips with every breath with eyes of coal glistening with moisture under the lightless sky.

"Ah…" He rubbed the corners of his eyes weakly as a sudden revelation struck him. "I must be tired."

----

"Sorry sensei…" She apologized guiltily, sitting nervously in her small chair as she awaited her sensei's permission to turn.

"Maa…" He waved her off, mostly because he had not the energy to do much else. "I suppose I do owe you two an explanation, not that I like being strangled for it though." He looked around the room sparingly. "Where's Sasuke?"

"He's outside…doing…" Sakura trailed off. Actually, she had no idea what the object of her simple-minded affection was doing up on the deck of the ship. She could not see him clearly but she could literally feel the inner turmoil coming off the boy lying on his side on the cold, hard steel. The mood surrounding their team was already strained however, and she saw no reason to add worry upon their exhausted leader's head.

Not that she actually thought he would be worried mind you…

"Stuff…" Sakura found herself saying.

"Ninja stuff?" He asked, finding her choice of words amusing.

"I…I'm not sure…"

Silence ensued for a minute or so, the creaks and moans of the barge made even more apparent as the 'excitement' from the before faded. With Sakura sitting beside on the stool beside the bed kneading the material of her clothing in silence, Kakashi soon found himself within the throes of impending boredom.

"Ummm…Sakura, as much as I would like to see you ruin that…somewhat pretty dress of yours, I'm pretty tired so…"

"It's…" Sakura interjected kindly. "It's not about Naruto, or at least not directly."

"Oh?"

She fiddled with her thumbs a bit before forming fists in her dress.

"I'm afraid…" She admitted with a soft whisper. "I'm afraid of myself… of the thoughts I've been having lately about…us." She paused, taking the time to search herself for the words she wanted to say.

"She was crying you know…the entire time you were gone she was always crying silently by herself whenever she was alone. It's crazy, but it's hard to think that the princess could care so much for someone she only met just a few days ago…"

"Well…" He stretched. "Naruto's always been able change the people he meets for the better. It's one of his weird…quirks."

"So what's going to happen to our team now that he's gone?" Sakura asked worriedly. "Naruto always asked me out on dates and always tried so hard to get me to notice him while I continuously ignored his efforts and Sasuke, although he keeps to himself mostly he's only ever able to speak naturally in front of Naruto while he ignores me for the most part."

"And me?" Kakashi asked somewhat curiously.

Sakura smiled sadly and averted her eyes further. "I…I don't know anything about you sensei. Sometimes you act like a sensei and teach us tricks and other important things, but the majority of the time you're just aloof and uncaring. I mean, I know Naruto admires you somewhat and we all respect your strength, but I…I don't know where you stand with us at all."

"Well…I suppose that makes sense." He said apathetically. He had no reason to defend himself after all but he had to admit that seeing Sakura's disapproving frown afterwards was a tad bit hurtful.

"_Just a bit though…" _He thought facetiously, reaching for his book.

"As I was saying," Sakura continued, her disapproval at his nonchalance growing by the second. "Naruto had a special connection with all of us; he was our common ground and it was those connections that kept the three of us together as a team. Take Naruto away…and there would be nothing left holding Sasuke and I together. He'd have no reason to even look at…me."

"Well," Kakashi sighed, cutting the pink-haired Genin short. "There's no overlooking the fact that Sasuke's not exactly the social type, but then again, Sasuke's youth was hardly normal. It's probably why he can relate with Naruto much better than he can with you."

"Then you agree with me…don't you?"

"Not necessarily." Kakashi turned a page in his book. "You just need to work harder. Sasuke's not that complicated of a person Sakura, just find something he likes and…"

"And…?" Sakura fished.

"Torture him until he cracks. You're already accustomed to doing that…" Kakashi chuckled lightly as he peered behind her. "…right Sasuke?"

Sasuke settled down onto his futon. "I won't deny that."

"S-S-Sasuke…how l-long were y-you…?"

"Long enough to know what to expect when I get home." Sasuke grumbled, eyeballing his sensei. "I suppose that was also a part of your plan too?"

Kakashi looked up from his book innocently. "Who, me? Why Sasuke I'm appalled to hear you think that. It breaks my heart really."

"Whatever…" Sasuke sighed as he plopped heavily onto his mattress. "We're all here so hurry up and tell us what happened to Naruto. It's been long enough already."

"Before that…"

As if reading his mind Sasuke cut in. "I'm fine Kakashi…"

"Ok then…"

Sakura glanced worriedly between the two. "Wait, what? What happened?"

"Oh nothing, nothing." Kakashi waved her off, returning to his read. "Now…shall I begin?"

* * *

Enclosed in white, a white much like the one that encompassed the village, Azumi sat silently, immersed within a plethora of fragrances that stemmed from the numerous flowers lining the floor of the small room. The seiza position was never one she found comfortable even though it was something she had been taught to tolerate, as it was one of those subtle things you had to do to retain that air of nobility, but she also found that in the midst of her pleasant aromas, it helped her to focus, to blank her mind and address the needs her mind so desperately needed addressing.

It wasn't that she had nothing else better to do though. She was currently evading her responsibilities in the medical department and would soon be sought after by her father, once he caught wind of her lack of appearance around that foreign ninja's room and his level of boredom peaked. She wouldn't blame them for seeking his assistance though; she was a very important person in her own right – having been apprenticed to the village's current authority on medical-Ninjutsu – and he was most likely the only person in the entire village who knew where she was.

She sighed deeply as thoughts of her apprenticeship brought memories of her past, a past she would rather have forgotten.

Having no siblings of her own she was always a pressured child, the force known only as her imposing father pressing her constantly to do more and more, to fill in the role her unborn sibling would uptake should she have show even the slightest unwillingness towards her duty as first, to make sure the noble title of the highest ranking _Shinobi_ remains within their lineage. She was only a child then, but she knew from the moment when her once caring father changed face before her that her childhood would be lost to her forever.

However, as she grew she would come to realize that it mattered not if she had the time to socialize as a child would. Her half-lidded stare, drawling tone, and highly educated speech were not something a child could use to make companions, and soon enough they would all begin to become disheartened whenever she reared her head on those few occasions when she would be given a break. It was like she was gradually stealing the life from those around her; not a very comforting thought to bear as a mere child. She would not be entirely alone though, for with or without the warmth of a human friendship she would always have the cold. The very cold that brought her lifelong companions, the thousands upon thousands of individuals that would drift slowly into and out of her life.

She would speak to them, or more accurately, they would speak to her whenever they deemed it fit to descend from the clouded heavens. Sometimes they would whisper to her gently on calm days, other days they would chat up a literal storm with their soft, melodic voices, but they would never differ in their topic of conversation.

How they came to be as they were…

The incredible distance they travelled…

The other individuals they encountered along the way…

They all spoke energetically of the same thing, sometimes going so far as to fight for the right to make their voices heard to the only one who would take their time to actually stop and listen, and they would continue to bombard her with thoughts until they were no longer those of an individual but the hushed whispers of a greater whole.

She remembered the first time she had experienced this, how appalled she had been at this startling revelation until, in an equally surprising show of his former gentleness, her father knelt and carefully explained to her that they had not been lost to gravity. That they had merely become part of something greater where their voices could all be heard as one, grand, orchestrated melody instead of directionless whispers.

And so she would continue to visit, to lend an ear where others wouldn't and in turn they would give her the friendship she wanted, and she would need no other for she had enough.

Or that's what she thought at least before that faithful day, where, on a diplomatic trip to the capital, that the gods decided to spare her; to give her a true friendship which she thought, after the time spent on the trip, would last for all eternity. There, she met someone who didn't judge her for her unique looks, her chilling personality partly borne from a life of isolation, or her status as the daughter of a delegate – seeing as she was one herself – but merely welcomed her with a friendly smile and a cheery disposition as she grasped her hand and whisked her off.

It had been the first time she had ever felt warmth away from the snowflakes and to be truthful she had been very afraid at the time, but she grew to accept its presence with feeling of fondness following not long after.

However, as easily as they delivered her from her loneliness they returned it to her like it was a gift, a gift she would have gladly exchanged just to see that person's smiling features once more.

It had been the first and last time she would shed a tear, the foreign feeling etched into her memory as another unforgettable experience. Someone who possessed a carefree soul such as the one she possessed should not have been condemned to a fate such as hers.

There was no such thing as a way to thwart death's menacing grip, something she always knew well, but it was then that she decided that she wanted no hand in playing the part of an emissary of the afterlife, her father's obsessions and whims be damned. So he would take his disappointed flat-line stare and watch with much contempt as she changed her path from a born-and-bred killer to that of a healer, no matter how much her own body had been overwhelmed with desires to guide those wayward bastards straight to hell by her own devices.

And now, one decade after the incident in the capital, the possibility still existed, but that was only _if _what that boy said was indeed accurate…if what he said about Koyuki being alive and well was true. It wasn't that she didn't want to believe in his words, mind you, but if the princess was alive, what exactly had those reconnaissance teams been searching for all that time?

If the princess was indeed alive, had her father been privy to this information without so much as hinting towards the truth?

The thought was inconceivable.

"Otousan…" She called out into the once empty room, feeling his presence amidst the silence.

"I apologize…I thought I was being quiet. I did not want to disturb you."

Azumi turned slowly, looking up from her knelt position to come upon the dignified form of the Yondaime, his countenance depicting that of one of Yukiguni's frozen lakes as he stood tall above her. There was never a way to tell when he was disturbed in any way, a disturbing quality that she sometimes wished he never had if only to have some sort of inkling to his ever hidden thoughts.

"You have been absent from the medical facilities as of late. The medics are concerned about your welfare. What ails you?"

"It's nothing Otousan, I was merely here…to think."

"About Koyuki?"

He knew her too well.

Having his assumption verified by her silence he saw it fit to continue. "You need to let your memories of that time flow freely from your mind. At this point, it is only like poison, hindering your physical and mental growth."

If she had the capability in her to show the emotion known as 'anger' she felt it would have surfaced at this point. Instead, her body settled for tensing slightly as she faced him fully once more. "It is not so easy for me to let go of her, Otousan, and I wonder why it is not the same for you, seeing as you once treasured your relationship with the king." She dared to venture further. "Or was that merely one of your many façades?"

He seemed to mull over her words sparingly before speaking, something he rarely did but was still no grounds for alarm.

"You cannot miss something that you've never really been fond of to begin with." He said solemnly and she gazed upon his figure with what she could only describe as 'disbelief'.

"Then…those smiles you made so lightly, the laughter…" Her head drifted downwards and to the left as she recalled all the memories from the past where he had ever shown a positive reaction to anything and the implications of it all.

"The emotion known as happiness, as with all others, has been lost on me from the very beginning. I fail to see why this should come as a surprise to you; you know of the various conditions that come with bearing our blood." He said as if he was surprised himself but when he still saw her blank stare that spoke of bewilderment he explained further, never taking his eyes off her form as he did. "You, of course, are different. Your mother, being one not of Shiraiyuki birth, gave you that part of you that knows of things such as…pain and…joy. Incidentally, the women of Shiraiyuki have always been partial to such things, something that has eluded the minds of our kind since…"

The way he spoke of emotions made her felt like they really were foreign to him, like they truly did not belong coming from those lips of his and she knew that even he himself probably knew of the truth to that sentiment, yet when he spoke of the mystery that was the women of Shiraiyuki birth, you could feel his fascination radiating off his body like a warm glow, which made her truly wonder if eliciting emotional responses were the price they paid for the blood that flowed through their veins, or if it really was a result brought about on his own. She would never get the chance to ponder further as a sudden shift in the atmosphere brought her out of her reverie and right back into the passive features of her father, which now held a sharp overtone in appearance.

"Returning to the matter at hand Azumi, this longstanding mourning of yours does not justify your disregard of your duties, especially the one that I specifically left in your care. Return to your ward at once."

Since he was never one for repeat performances she slowly rose to her feet, dusting herself off and smoothing out any wrinkles that may have appeared on her apparel. She would do as he said, but in light of recent conversations she would not simply go blindly. "Before you return to your duties Otousan I would like to inquire something of you pertaining to this 'assignment'." When he paused in his stride to regard her she continued. "Why was it that I was chosen for such a menial task?"

He simply stared at her before answering. "Indeed it is a waste of resources but should an unprecedented case of emergency arise I can trust only you to act in Izumi's absence. That…and I also trust you to relay anything that might be spoken to my ears only."

Outwardly she was just as emotionless as he was but inwardly she had begun to grow wary. What was spoken but a mere day ago had definitely been something she would consider 'for your ears only'. Had he expected something along those lines to be said, implying that there could be some measure of truth to the boy's words?

She would say and insinuate nothing, though. It was not her place to do so nor was it in her nature.

She could only sit there and watch silently as everything unfolded steadily around her.

But that was only with respect to the country. There was nothing stopping her from seeking answers to the questions surrounding her beloved princess. She owed it to the memory she had of her as her, dare she say, friend.

"Very well, Otousan." She said dismissively as she strode past him into the hallway. She may not be able to delve into the business that was effectively her father's, but there was nothing wrong with seeking answers to questions that more than rightfully concerned her.

"_And I suppose my first step lies with only him."_

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

"Hime-Sama, please don't slouch. You know Maya-san doesn't allow for…"

Tuning out the words of the woman beside her, the 1st of her 'caretakers' Eren (She called them that seeing as they were only there to ensure her comfort) Koyuki stretched languidly, tipping over onto her side. Since the mission's end two days prior she had the strength to do little else, making the inauguration ceremony the day before a trial in itself for all those involved. Not to mention they still had the end of the movie to finish filming, something she managed to put off in light of recent events.

"_Ah…that reminds me…"_

She had to go pay her respects to Sandaiyuu. She had enough time to think about what his role had been in her life, her role in his, and what she represented to him. Even now, as time moved forward after the events of the mission, she found that she could not find her way out of the funk she had dug herself in. Whereas before, whenever anything of a trying nature affected her or their life, she always had the reassurance of his presence and actions, something she found she had grossly underestimated now that he was no longer there.

_-Flashback-_

A man, a fellow actor probably a few years her senior and their friends, other actors, had decided to get together after an audition as a measure of good faith towards each other and the new comer in the business. Drinks were poured as they settled around the small table in the room, pairs taking turn to sing brazenly before the small crowd on the tiny platform beside the karaoke machine and she drank her fill –despite being underage – not feeling much for anything else. That was when he swooped in, like a vulture on its hapless prey he volunteered to see her back to the hotel she was lodging in and she all but obliged, not being in my right mind for walking (or talking for that matter).

The next day she woke up, coherent enough to know what went down the night before as she pieced together the evidence – the throbbing between her thighs, the blood stained sheets and the red-white, foul smelling ball of tissue that resided beside her. She didn't think of it as a tragedy however and only shrugged, only regretting that she hadn't been awake to experience it first hand and to put him in his place when she told him her fingers were more of a man than he ever would be, chastity be damned. She did feel sort of relieved when Sandaiyuu arrived to wake her in the morning and did all the screaming and panicking for them both though, something she never really got to thank him for.

A few weeks later, a missed period and a trip to the local clinic later confirmed that from that one night she had managed to conceive that man's child but yet, after all that was done and said she could not break the steadfast shell encasing her heart to bear any feeling of contempt. She didn't know how she got it done and some would say it was just simply remarkable, but she didn't care…

About love and friendship…about feelings…even about life in general…

They were all just temporary…things…that could be taken away at a single moment's notice and thus only deserving of a fleeting moment's glance.

And it was with this in mind that she made her decision as she braced herself against the wall of her bathroom, dressed in only a bathrobe as her manager stood before her dumfounded.

"Hit me…" She voiced softly but loud enough for the words to reach him.

"W-What?"

She turned to face him, certainty in her eyes as she repeated her orders to him. "I said to hit me…"

The man looked horrified at the thought of harming his princess but he understood what she was asking him to do, what it was she was asking of him, and it was his _duty_ – not only as her manager, but as the only person she could rely on – to fulfill her demand. And so he struck, fists closed and swiftly with all of his weight behind it and he couldn't help but cry out in pain as he did so. For if she would not shed a tear for her plight then he would do so in her place. He would cry not only for her pain and frustration, but for her anger and sorrow as well.

And he would do so as he watched the blood run down her thighs…another thing she forgot to thank him for.

One thing she _did_ show some form of appreciation for, however, was when he returned to her apartment one morning with the bloodied ancestral dagger between his hands, telling her that they would have to leave town immediately. Although small, it was the first time she had smiled since that dreadful day up north…

_-End Flashback-_

Koyuki exploded into a spontaneous fit of laughter as she remembered how calm and mature she had been in the situation, contrary to her late manager that had still been squawking for days after about the bruise he left behind that seemed to never want to fade.

"H-Hime-Sama…" The second of three 'caretakers', Reina, stuttered as she peeked in from behind the doorway, her shoulder length green hair draping towards one side as her golden irises looked to her for guidance. "There is s-someone here requesting your presence."

Coming down from her high Koyuki waved her off. "I'm not in the mood for visitors right now; tell them to come back later."

"I am afraid our meeting can be prolonged no longer Kazahana-dono." From the entryway a tall, slender, stoic, raven haired, bespectacled beauty standing at 5' 9" and wearing a very modern and well tailored black suit strode purposefully into the large hall, her waist length ponytail swishing to and fro wildly behind her with every powerful stride. The woman stopped mere feet from her and bowed respectfully before glancing sharply to her side as the princess' caretakers scrambled frantically to fetch a cushion for her use. "I do believe you have been avoiding me."

"So rude…with that pushy attitude it would be no wonder." Koyuki muttered under her breath but the woman was not amused in the slightest. "In any case, I have had no knowledge of you ever being here so I don't know what you're talking about." Koyuki turned to face the two ladies whose care she was under, only to find them averting their eyes nervously. Sighing, she faced the unknown woman again. "Who might you be anyway?"

"I believe you have been acquainted with my uncle, Asama Sandaiyuu. My name is Asama Chiho and I have…"

"Don't listen to her Hime-Sama, she's a demon-mmph!"

Squirming and screaming muffled obscenities under the grip of her friend the little upstart was dragged outside, the more mature of the two apologizing all the while until they slipped outside.

Koyuki looked across at Chiho peculiarly. "Demon?"

"It is merely another one of the nicknames given to me while under the servitude of the now former king."

"The former…oh…" Realizing why those two had been weary of her she narrowed her eyes. "And what is it that you want?"

"I wish for nothing but to impart the knowledge I have gained during the time I spent as Dotou's regent." She said simply, continuing when the scrutinizing look directed at her had not subsided in the least. "Do not be mistaken your highness; my allegiance is to the royal family alone. I have no intentions of carrying out the former king's wishes if they are not to your liking, nor did I even have the intentions of accepting the job in the first place. It was simply a matter of his highness choosing me, and me following through with his decision as was demanded of me by my family."

"I see…" Honestly, Koyuki had nothing to say in that respect for she too understood the importance of duty. Although it was bad that she had been forced to put up with the ostracism, she also found it admirable that the woman endured as well as she had. She should relieve her of her trouble; it was the only honorable thing to do.

But would it matter? The damage had already been done. Even if she was removed from service there would be no change to her treatment and then there would be no point. At somewhat of a loss for what to do she took up the folder, glimpsing through the contents of each page as she flipped through. Letting the folder plop noisily down on the tatami she pinched her brow. _"This is crazy; I don't know the first thing to do with this…"_

"May I suggest something Hime-sama?"

Koyuki looked up at the woman who seemed to be searching for something in particular, looking with piqued interest at the section that had been left open for her observation when the former regent was finished.

"These are…the taxes?" She asked, now stupefied at the outrageous figures before her.

"Yes. The former king implemented the increase, stating the use of the new income would be going to the development of the country's defenses. Of course it was outrageous seeing that the country was a peaceful one. If you are looking for a place to begin, there would be the most appropriate."

Koyuki was no longer at a loss for what to do.

"Do you dislike this job?"

The woman looked up from her bowed position. "I was raised from young to become someone who can be of assistance to the royal family. If I do not have this, then there is nothing left for me."

"Then you can stay on…as my personal assistant."

"HIME-SAMA! NOOOO-mmph!"

Chiho bowed deeply. "Thank you, Hime-Sama."

Koyuki smiled faintly, nodding in acknowledgement. "You can leave now; we will begin work on the taxes tomorrow."

"As you wish."

* * *

Within the confines of his hospital bed Naruto flexed and clenched his arm and wrist respectively, noting with subdued glee at how his strength was steadily returning even though the thought of being so weak for so long eluded him (since he always recovered relatively quickly). He could hardly say it mattered anymore anyway since soon he would be able to try his luck at escaping…

Again…

Damn…for people that didn't want to keep him there they sure as hell didn't want him to leave.

"_**The only thing more pathetic than your attempts at escaping must be your memory…"**_

"Shut it!"

The large, burly medic that had been keeping watch over him peeked inside at the outburst. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-Nothing!"

And if it wasn't bad enough that he was stuck there, he was stuck with the bastard fox who commented on his supposed stupidity whenever it felt like. Well…at least the nurses tended to shy away from his room whenever he talked to himself.

Speaking about nurses, that nurse that fed him that one time hadn't returned for the past _ days after he had told her about the umm…stuff that went on.

But it wasn't like he missed her or anything…

Nope…

Even though she had that same unmistakable scent as _ -hime…

Even though he had to be sponged by ox-man the male nurse twice, who tended to…bruise him on occasion…

Nope…still didn't miss her…

…

"_**I pity you, human, for you have only but a few mere moments before...."**_

"F off!"

"I apologize but it would only cause problems for me should I not appearance here."

"Azumi!" He exclaimed, both unsure whether it was due to his longing for her presence or the shock of him finding her standing there. To salvage whatever dignity he had left though he quickly cleared his throat before sputtering out an alternate take to his welcome. "I-I mean…hey."

"Hey indeed…" A ghost of an upturned lip appeared on her features before disappearing again. "I had no idea that my presence was so…appreciated."

"As compared to others…"

"I see…well, I shall be conducting your daily sponge bath in a few moments so shall we prepare?"

Now this was a problem for Naruto seeing as his stay in had not yielded any pleasant experiences regarding bodily contact of any kind, and by looks alone Azumi didn't appear to be one that knew _how_ to be tender either. But as she worked on his restraints, releasing him gradually from his constraints one by ever pleasing one, he found he was just simply glad to handled by a woman for a change.

Then the sponge hit, and he could still feel the skin on his bones!

"Where the hell were you?!"

Azumi glanced up at the back of his neck before dipping downwards once more. "The whereabouts of my person are not of your concern."

"Forget that!" Naruto screamed before settling into a sad, sobbing state. "You don't know the hardships I've been through when you disappeared. That stupid panda-guard tried to molest me!"

"I am quite sure your stay would have been more comfortable should you not have made that attempt to escape." She said as a matter-of-fact.

"How did you know?"

"Simple." She said conversationally, moving on to the length of his arms. "Medics are informed about anything that should prove a threat to their well being. It is the same as a mission briefing, no?"

"I guess, but I've never really paid attention during those things."

"I am now finding it hard to believe you have had any involvement with the Shinobi lifestyle."

"Hey, believe what you want miss but everything I told you was true."

"Including the part about you being, and I quote, 'a shoo-in for the next Hokage'?"

"Hell yea! The old man was practically _begging_ me to take his hat but then he died and then this old hag came along and then she was like 'yea, you'll be a great Hokage but you're still a kajillion years too early'…"

"She…seems wise."

"Meh…she's alright." Naruto paused, not catching the insult. "Wait…you believe me?"

"No." She said bluntly, moving to his front. "However, I have no reason to doubt your words either seeing as I have no means to verify them."

"But I'm not lying!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Look, all you have to do is go see the princess, she'll tell you everything!"

"Then you shall take me to see her."

"Me?" Naruto asked incredulously before doing a double take. "Wait, I can leave now?"

"Plans were made for your release tonight so there shall be no problems leaving this facility. To move beyond the walls however is more difficult, but there is a way. We shall leave tonight and you have but to lead me to her location afterwards."

"Alri-!"

Azumi covered his mouth with her palm, quickly stopping him mid celebration. "I would only ask that you refrain from doing anything that would reveal my intentions, for should we be captured prematurely there will be some serious repercussions awaiting me. Are we clear?" At his nod she released him, rose from the bed and handing him a towel that was just out of arms reach. "Preparations must be made before we depart so I shall take my leave now. Because your clothes were not suited to our climate and so they have been replaced. You will find your old clothes within a scroll inside the pocket of the coat." She instructed, pointing out the various things before turning to leave with the burning incense in hand, leaving him a few brief instructions on how he should go about opening the scroll on her way out.

"A-Ah…" He watched her leaved without batting an eyelash, still trying to digest all she said without coming up with a bad case of brain indigestion. However, at least it was certain he was going to be able to leave this slightly comfortable prison with its gorilla guards.

Suddenly the air within the room cleared up completely as if it had been stifling before and he found himself being able to move with much more ease, something he demonstrated by hoping out of the bed nimbly to stretch his arms and legs. With that he headed straight for his clothes that had been left draped over the back of the room's lone chair where he immediately reached for the scroll, unraveling it in one swift motion to reveal the seal inside. With a quick push of chakra his clothes 'poofed' into existence and he quickly adorned them, the security at having his trademark clothes back on returning with equal haste.

All that was left now was to wait on his jail breaker, which was going to prove difficult now that he had all this energy and nothing to do with it…

* * *

"What took you so long? Let's go already!"

Azumi stood motionless as she gazed upon the orange clad scene that was her charge. He had obviously decided to forgo what would have been way more comfortable clothing in favor of something that was not only incapable of withstanding their wind chill, but would prove to be an utter nuisance in the attempt to make their way outwards from the village.

"Uzumaki-san, your clothes…you will have to change them before we leave."

"What? Why?"

"It will defeat the purpose of why I even brought you the new set in the first place." With his dumbfounded look she elaborated. "Your orange clothes stand out terribly in the white background of the snow."

"Can't I just wear the cloak over it?" He pleaded, reaching for the said cloak and slipping it on. "If I zip it up no one will notice!"

Azumi gave his look another glance, noting how he was practically bouncing in anticipation over her decision and it was then she questioned the reason why she had been so adamant on the set she brought him. However, it was not something she could afford to dwell on so with a slight nod and a not so silent cheer she left the room with him in tow.

----

Stepping out of the hospital the cold harshness of the cold immediately hit him and he cringed slightly, letting the small drafts of air flowing over the large ice-made bridge a little ways off break on his cloak.

"Move towards the rails should you need support, Uzumaki-san."

He nodded at Azumi's words and they moved forward, both stepping lightly as they crossed from the hospital grounds onto the glowing bridge. Curiosity got the better of him and he made a small dash to the left heading directly for the iron rail, stopping prematurely to let the work of friction carry him the rest of the way.

"Wah!" He leapt back in surprise, slipping on the ice to fall flat on his butt. "W-W-What?" Crawling on his knees he reached for the top of the rail, arms and legs trembling as he pulled himself up to peer over the iron bar with a lot more caution than before. What he thought would be awaiting him had been the furthest thing from it, an insanely massive, dark hole in the ice that stretched way too deep for him to see the bottom. "W-What the hell?!"

As his echo sounded off into the distance Azumi approached him from behind. "The building you see behind you sits directly in the middle of this opening so what you are currently seeing is only but a fraction. However, there is no time for sightseeing at the moment and you will have your chance at seeing the very bottom when we return."

Suddenly, memories of his past run in with Jiraiya during the Chuunin exams flashed (as well as the rest of his life) before his eyes and he paled dramatically. "N-No…there's no frickin' way I'm going down there…that looks even deeper than the one Ero-Sennin threw me in!"

"There is a stairway leading downwards that is easily accessible, but be rest assured that it is not the one we shall be using. Now…let us be go-" Azumi paused, absolutely deadpan. "Uzumaki-san, please release me." When there was no verbal response she sighed and pried his hands off of her midsection, letting him latch onto her arm instead before leading him to the centre of the bridge and continuing on her way in a rather reassuring pace.

At their leisure pace Naruto took the time to look around at the surroundings beyond the terrifying drop but from their vantage point, he could see nothing but a large dune of snow going right around the rim of the hole. However, as he glanced upwards he could do nothing to keep what was supposed to be a fleeting glance from turning into a full blown stare as he gaped at the sight above him.

Massive milky-white crystals glowing white from the lights coming from inside them jutted from the rocky crag of the sheer rock cliffs in every direction, interlocking at several levels hundreds of feet above his head. Even higher than that were the jagged, pointed walls of the mountain curving slightly towards each other from all sides to meet at an irregular apex in the sky, moonlight and small amounts of snow being the only capable of seeping through the large hole in the sky. He had been so distracted by what was above him that he had not noticed they had climbed the small bank of snow, allowing them to overlook the rest of the village, which looked pretty normal by any village's standard. Wooden and metallic houses littered the expanse of ground below them right back to the mountain wall with large iron poles lining the streets and walkways, illuminating the dark passages with a strange white light he had yet to figure out. Also, from the loom of it the houses continued all around the hole onto the other side.

"Where is this place?"

"It is the Valley of Snow and Rust that sits on the very edge of this land."

"Snow and…rust?"

"You will understand when we reach out destination but for now we must make haste. We still have a good ways to go."

After being urged by Azumi to move once more, she led them towards the far end of the section of the village they had been looking at and right into a guarded entrance of the mountain wall where, after ascending a long flight of stairs, they came upon a large traditional mansion.

"This is my home. Had we not planned on leaving tonight this is where you would have stayed for the duration of your stay as ordered by the leader of the village." Azumi explained, leading him inside as he looked on. "We shall rest here for approximately an hour before setting out."

"Huh? But why can't we leave now?" Naruto queried as he looked about the sparse indoors. There were hardly any material possessions in the house past the entryway; just a few shelves and furniture spread far apart with bare, impossibly white walls.

"By coming here first, it gives the illusion of us returning home and not leaving for the balance of the night because there is only one way to enter or exit by normal means. It buys us time and gives us some much needed ground between us and potential pursuers."

Naruto shrugged, moving towards a set of sliding doors where light could be seen entering the home and he slid them open, noting the wooden passage lining the outside and the outrageously awesome view of the village in which they were suspended highly over. _"But…"_ he thought as he turned to look at pale eyed, white haired girl that was waiting on him, even though the house was nice and everything, he couldn't shake the lonely vibe he was getting from the place.

It was just…too much.

----

An hour later, after she showed him to his room (which was not surprisingly just as sparse as the rest of the house) she came to get him, leading him outside and into a hidden cave where they descended endlessly into a dark spiral, the light of her white lantern being the only form of light to guide them. Hands splayed against the jagged surface he continued to follow her downwards until an iron door was met and she opened it, allowing him to see past her and into the darkness with the aid of her light and that of other fiery-red glows. The first thing he saw, however, was…

"People?"

Eyes that had been then focused on the roaring flame shooting out of the iron drum now turned to the origin of the voice, all squinting to make out the features behind the dark silhouettes. Naruto tensed as they all began to converge on their location, worried that they might have been discovered before he even got a whiff of freedom, but it wasn't until Azumi raised one hand to block his path and the first one of them bowed that he began to relax.

"Azumi-Sama, we have been awaiting your arrival." One man said as he moved towards the front of the group to greet her. "We tried our best to clear away as much ice as possible but I'm afraid there was only so much we could do."

He tuned out the rest of the conversation, brushing past Azumi and down off the ledge they were standing on and into the snow. Wrapped in the warm orange glow of the bonfires he could make out the masses of several pieces of massive metal boxes lining the walls, but as he moved closer to the far wall there was an oddly familiar shape amongst them, one that had been terribly intimidating at the time of his first encounter. Since it wasn't moving though it suddenly became intriguing to him, and he couldn't help but place one gloved hand upon the pitch black hull of the metallic beast.

"This is the train huh?" He said to no-one in particular as he stroked its surface, flinching when Azumi made her presence known unexpectedly.

"I suppose you would know of this machine if your story was indeed true."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Well duh, I wasn't lying."

"Regardless," she continued, "this is what I've meant to show you. Look about you, the large hole you witnessed before…"

Naruto blanched, looking up only to confirm her words.

"The remnants of a past that was only a mere decade ago now weathering disdainfully at our feet, the people who are unable to let go of that once prosperous past, that is what this place is. Unable to do anything we just sit here and corrode from the outside in, like the very iron ore that is the foundation of our being. This is the valley of snow and rust, and any other perception of this village is unnecessary."

Unable to comprehend even a smidgen of what was just said Naruto just stood there staring at her until she was called upon by her friends again and was led towards this large tunnel, the likes of which was similar to the one he had been chased through a few days prior. The ice, having been just melted, left behind a leaking ceiling and a damp floor with its installed metal and wooden tracks exposed, but there was still a massive wall of it left at very end where the rest of the people stood waiting. Suddenly, Azumi spoke up.

"Thank you, I shall handle the rest."

The white-haired medic stood before the large barricade and removed her gloves, handing them to the nearest person before placing her pale hands against the ice. Soon enough, the entire sheet of ice glowed a bright white before bursting into a huge, dense cloud vapor that filled the expanse of the tunnel and travelled inwards towards the interior of the village.

"Seal the openings and return to your homes, we shall be back within a few days."

"We shall pray for your safe return, Ojousama."

----

Moments after they exited the village the storm picked up steadily about them, the temperature around them dropping exponentially with every second.

Her charge's movements slowed dramatically as each breath he took threatened to freeze him from the inside out…

Train tracks that had been charged with chakra were now being covered at a rate they would be unable to follow…

It was all too unnatural…

Even through the loud howls she could hear his collapse on the piling snow behind her…

Before her the tracks had now been completely covered…they would be lost.

And through the white curtain two figures slowly approached them from both directions…

She ran to the boy and held him close to her to ensure he had not died, free to let her thoughts run wild as her suspicions had been more or less confirmed.

* * *

_**A/N: Meh…took longer than expected because of unforeseen circumstances but I won't waste time with excuses. The next one shouldn't take as long. **_

_**As always I thank you for your time and I look forward to your reviews.**_

_**Andoryu**_

**

* * *

**_-Omake-_

"Look at her…" Reina whispered lowly with a tone filled with disgust as she glared at the figures of Koyuki and Chiho discussing some matter or the other at the far end of the hall. "It's only been a day and she's already all over her!"

"Oh my…" Eren rolled her deep brown eyes. At 5' 9" she was towering over the 5' 6" green haired spitfire. "It seems that you're right."

"Yea! She should learn the order of things around here! I'm her sempai so _I _should be up there instead!"

Eren tapped her chin in thought. "Well…seeing as I was here before you, then-"

Ignoring her purple-haired companion she continued. "Why if that demon ever came up to me I'd give her a piece of my mind!"

"You may get your chance just yet."

"Huh?" Looking towards the other end of the room, she noticed the object of her hatred coming towards them.

"Eren-san, Reina-san…Koyuki-dono is thirsty and requests that someone sends for it. Seeing as we still have important matters to discuss I would like to ask that one of you send for it in my place."

Eren spoke up for them. "It's fine with us, seeing as it will only take a few moments. Would you like some as well?"

Taken aback slightly Chiho appeared a little apprehensive. "Why…yes, I would. I am…grateful for your consideration."

"By the way Chiho-san…" Reina called out innocently. "Your hair has such a lovely shine to it; you must use some expensive soaps, don't you?"

Chiho twirled her ponytail absentmindedly, something that seemed odd coming from the stern assistant. "Yes, imported soaps from Ti no Kuni, but if you may excuse me I must return to the princess' side." And with that, and a bow, the dark haired beauty was on her way once more.

"Bitch…it should be _her _fetching tea for _me_, not the other what around." The green-haired teen muttered distastefully, looking to her side for support only to find there it trailing behind her 'nemesis'. "W-Wait, where're _you_ going?!"

"I too wish to find out more about Chiho-san's methods of hair treatment so I shall leave the tea to you." Eren stated offhandedly as she proceeded to follow the newest addition to the team. "Oh, and I prefer my tea to be black, _kohai_."


	4. His Forever Smile

**The Encroaching Frost**

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special thanks to holyknight5 for all his support!

**Chapter 4: His Forever Smile**

* * *

His ears twitched as two knocks sounded on the door, followed by a brief pause and the sound of the door to his room being slid open slowly, the light patter of footfalls approaching the boy's mattress the only noise left in the silence of the early morn.

"Uzumaki-san…"

His ears twitched again as they recognized the voice immediately, followed by the sounds of shuffling cloth.

"Uzumaki-san…" Small, gentle hands touched his side and proceeded to rock him repeatedly in an attempt to rouse him. "Uzumaki-san, you must get up."

"Mmmm…Neechan?" His head lolled to the side, heavily laden eyes barely registering the image of the girl before him. "Wha-?"

"Please get up, the sun has risen already."

"Wha-?" He looked around, noting the still dark surroundings. "No it hasn't…it's still dark."

Azumi sighed. "Uzumaki-san, from our position in the cliffs we do not receive sunlight at any time during the day."

Naruto sat up and yawned noisily, smacking his lips before stopping suddenly when he heard something peculiar. "Wait, cliffs? You mean we're still at your house? I thought we left the village?"

"All will be explained later." The young medic ensured him as she rose to her feet. "Right now my father wishes to greet you and has requested that I summon you for breakfast. It is an informal setting so you may simply follow me in the robe you have on."

"Oh…ok." He blinked. "Wait…I'm wearing a robe?"

Azumi exited the room, sliding the door close to lean on its thin material as she thought about the happenings of the night before. Although she never expected them to escape without pursuit, she never expected to be caught so soon after their departure, and it was all because the blonde made so many attempts to escape, her father had ordered the patrol to be on alert even after he was discharged.

The fact of the matter, however, was that she committed no crimes that night. He was not of their village and could leave at any time he chose and she, in addition to being an inactive Shinobi, was old enough to leave the village of her own accord. Naruto was needed, and she was not sure whether it was because of what she knew or if it was because of something newly discovered.

The door shifted behind her and she moved off quickly, turning to face the boy who had obviously decided to forgo the robe in favor of his orange suit.

"You are quite taken with that suit I see…"

"Meh…" Naruto shrugged, checking the material out for a few seconds before putting on a big smile. "It just kinda grew on me."

"I see…well, let's get going."

* * *

"Welcome, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto instantly shot ramrod straight, having not noticed the presence of another person in the room until the person made himself know, but now that he did, Naruto wished he hadn't. He could tell, even though the person had his eyes closed he could tell it was the same frighteningly imposing person he met in the hospital and as the person opened his dull hues to take him into account, he could instantly feel the same bone chilling terror he felt before.

"Uzumaki-san…" Azumi whispered, touching his shoulders gently since he would not listen otherwise. "Calm yourself."

"I only did what needed to be done to return you to a manageable state." He stated unapologetically before extending a hand towards the open seats. "Now please, unclench your fists and join me for brunch; we have much to discuss."

"Discuss? Discuss?! We don't have anything to talk about so just let me go home already!"

"If you wish to remain standing that is fine with me. However…" He warned, signaling the appearance of several masked Shinobi who took up positions at each of the room's exits. "You shall not be leaving this room until our talk has ended."

"You just have to sit and listen. Then, we can go elsewhere for our meal." Azumi whispered to him, eliciting a begrudging nod of affirmative from the boy. "Also, Try to be patient, do not reveal anything about your reasons for being here, and do not allow yourself to be lured into his line of questioning."

Before Naruto could ask what she meant, the man had already begun to speak again and so he remained quiet, opting to merely sticking close to what he deemed to be his only safe contact in the entire village.

"Now that that matter has been settled, we shall carry on with discussions after you have eaten your fill." The head of the household stated as both Azumi and Naruto settled down at the rectangular table, far away from the reach of the white-haired man. However, as the morning winded down the head at the table noticed something that was probably not all too peculiar for their situation.

None of the two children were eating…

"You are not eating…" He started, wiping his lips demurely for a brief moment. "Is the selection not to your liking?"

Naruto folded his arms and pushed up his lips. "I'm not hungry."

"I see…" Ignoring the loud growl reaching his ear from across the table, he turned to study his offspring. "And I suppose you share his lack of appetite?" At her nod he continued. "Then I suppose we can skip this meal and begin talks immediately." He waved for the dishes to be removed, leaving only three steaming ceramic cups of tea as the discussion ensued. "Allow me to introduce myself, Uzumaki-san. My name is Shiraiyuki Yukio, the leader of this village. Of course now that you have recovered from your illness, it is only logical that we begun arrangements for your safe transportation back to your village of origin, is it not?"

Naruto perked up at his words…

Yukio sipped his tea nonchalantly. "It is unfortunate, however, that this is not possible at the moment."

…Only to fall flat on his face in disappointment. "What?! Why?!"

"You were found passed out in our wilderness suffering from various physical ailments, and sympathetic to your plight we saw it fit to allocate a multitude of resources to see to your speedy recovery. This, as a result, has caused you to accumulate a fair amount of debt towards us, your saviors. Although I am not asking a fortune of you, do you not feel it is not customary for me to receive something in return, as a proper show of good will towards both parties?" He reasoned.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." Naruto wondered aloud before being reminded of past events. "Wait a minute…when I wanted to leave you guys wouldn't let me!"

"I am sure you were hardly coherent at the time, Uzumaki-san. Besides, does that not lead us back to the original question at hand? How could we possibly let you leave when we ourselves have not received compensation for our trouble?"

Naruto frowned. "But I'm poor…I don't have anything to give y-"

Yukio raised a hand to silence him. "It is fine, Uzumaki-san. You merely have to answer a few questions of mine and you will be released from our care without any trouble."

Looking to his left at Azumi for a little guidance in his decision and receiving a nod of the head in return, a sulking Naruto plopped back onto his cushion. "Che…fine…" He relented before adding a stipulation. "But only five questions!"

Azumi turned to face Naruto, somewhat amazed at the foresight and intellect shown. With that, they would be able to limit the number of inquiries about the boy as much as they could, reducing the chances of questions about his mission arising.

"Very well…" Yukio reached for his teacup. "Let us begin then. Uzumaki-san, how did you happen about wandering into our midst?"

"Huh?"

"I explained to you that you were found did I not? I simply wish to know what happened that would end up in your collapse in the middle of our vast tundra."

Glancing in Azumi's direction briefly he returned to his stubborn front. "I got separated from my friends and got lost trying to find my way back."

"And how long was that before you met with our wolves?"

"Ummm…about an hour?"

"I see…" The middle aged leader contemplated his words for a moment. "Uzumaki-san, this is the most crucial question. Why are you still alive?" Yukio watched as the boy's once tense features turned to confusion as he answered with what one would describe as the 'obvious'.

"You guys saved me…right?"

Yukio nodded. "Yes, my point being that we should not have been able to. Even with the use of chakra to aid in the movement of heat within the body, a child, who has not yet been acclimatized to this nation of snow, should not be able to survive within our harsh climate for more than a day. Yet, however, you have defied all logic and survived for three."

"So…"

"In addition, when you were retrieved and put under the care of our medical experts, your body had been heavily afflicted with cold related injuries to the point where even amputation had been contemplated as an alternative."

Naruto blanched, triple checking to make sure all his limbs were intact. "Amputation?!"

"Yes. However, before they could begin the procedure, the medics all witnessed something peculiar emanating from your abdomen in the process of returning some semblance of warmth to your body."

Everything shut down within the boy's mind the moment attention had been brought to his stomach, and he could only stare blankly as the man before him continued to describe what had been seen in a painstakingly vivid detail.

"A bright, red light acting in pulses, highlighting what was described to be an array of seals, which then triggered an, and I quote, "a phenomenal, unexplainable increase in cell regeneration". My final question, for the morning, is this; would you please enlighten me as to what it is that seal was designed for?"

Azumi frowned inwardly. He hadn't been interested in what she had known at all, succeeding in completely throwing them off balance. And he had done it in four, meaning he had been prepared before hand for such a tactic to be used and ensuring he had one question left in which he could safely use at a later date. They had been played, and from the looks of teen next to her it seemed as if it was a topic rather left untouched. She reached for him under the cover of the table, palming his thigh gently as she watched as he snapped to attention. She could see the fear in his eyes after he turned to face her, and she focused her gaze intently on his, hoping he would pick up the telepathic messages she was trying to send through to him.

"I had no idea you two had become so close in such a short period of time."

Azumi removed her hand immediately at the comment and shifted her gaze back towards the head of the table in a natural movement, a stark contrast to the bumbling, blushing blonde. "I only have you to thank for giving me the opportunity for it seemed we had more in common than I thought."

"Is that so…" Yukio said matter-of-factly before sipping on his tea once more. "As fascinating as that may be, however, I am still awaiting the answer to my question."

Coming out of his stupor Naruto answered none too fluidly. "I-I don't know anything about a seal…"

Raising an eyebrow Yukio placed his cup down gently. "Do you mean to tell me you wish to go back on your word? You ensured me that—"

"N-No!" Naruto denied wholeheartedly. "I really don't know anything about that seal! Really!!"

As if reading him for deceit, Yukio nodded and waved his hand, a line of helpers coming out at his call. "Very well, Uzumaki-san. Just let it be known that you shall not be leaving this village before the nature of your seal is revealed to me." He informed him as the helpers cleared the table. "You are free to do as you like within the confines of the village's boundaries, as long as do not go overboard in whatever action you may choose. When you are ready to confide in me Azumi knows of my location. It is a shame though that it is not night as that is when our village's beauty is at its peak, but you would have already had a chance to see that, would you not?"

Naruto stood abruptly in protest, partly in what Yukio said and because of the quickly disappearing food. "W-Wait, y-you can't do this!"

"Enjoy your stay, Uzumaki-san…" He said, stalking out the door, effectively ending their involvement with each other for now.

"And stop calling me that!" Naruto called after him before cursing loudly and sulking in defeat. "Damn! Now what am I supposed to do?"

"Naoto-san, could you please warm both out portions and bring them to my room? It would be most appreciated."

Naruto looked up at the white-haired girl who managed to secure them a meal and was now returning to him.

"Uzuma—"

"Aargh! Stop calling me that already!!" He screamed in frustration. "Look _Neechan_, if we're going to be friends you have to stop calling me that; call me Naruto!"

"I am sorry; I was not so presumptuous as to expect that our relationship had—"

"And stop it with that confusing talk!"

Azumi simply stared at the fuming boy, recalling an all too similar experience she had with the princess during their first encounter and she managed a small smile. "Very well…Naruto, I can only ask that you show me the same courtesy and refer to me by my given name, Azumi." At his cheerful nod she continued. "Returning to what I was going to say, however, let us return to my room for now where we shall continue our discussion while we have a breakfast of our own. It will also be a nice chance for us to be further acquainted with each other."

* * *

"Souta-kun, you…get back here!"

"Nya ha!"

Naruto sat on a small hill of snow, arms sagging lifelessly between his legs fingering a pile of snow as he stared inertly at the children playing below. The first thing he had been told the moment they had finished their meals was that she had been put under some sort of house arrest where she was supposed to meditate for the entire day, which meant of course that their plans to leave had to be put on hold.

After that the rest of the time just dragged on slowly and he could no longer concentrate on a word she was saying, leaving her with little choice but to give him a card and send him out for fresh air.

He brought a hand up slowly to rest over what was the root of all his problems, clutching at it gently as the fabric of his jacket conformed to his grip.

This…seal, it was never something he was comfortable admitting to have; most of his nights being spent wishing he had never been so unlucky. Ever since he had found out about it that faithful evening, he could have sworn he could hear it breathing; exhaling his name with every breath that called to him from behind the blackness of his eyes.

Then he met it inside his 'mind' and he would never know why the fox seemed to be smiling that day inside its cage as it reached out with its terrifying claw to end him.

And now, the fox was just confusing as it seemed to be trying to befriend him or something.

He sighed, not understanding why these people wanted him to consort with such a creature. Hell, even that pervert Jiraiya had said that he needed to learn how to control it at some point in time.

But was that something he wanted to do here? Was it something he even wanted to do at all? The fox was hated right? Wouldn't the villagers get mad if he started using the fox's powers?

"ARGH!" A cry of frustration tore through his lips as he returned the scrunched-up snow in his hand back to the ground with a vengeance. He sighed deeply, the adrenalin from his pent up anger faded away into nothingness as he drooped back into his original posture. "I just want to go home…" He murmured.

"What's wrong nii-chan?" One child questioned innocently as she stared down at his defeated self.

Naruto looked up, unaware that he was being surrounded by the kids who were previously playing.

"Yea, what's wrong? Are you angry?" Another one spoke up and he smiled sadly.

The blonde sighed. "No…"

"Hungry?"

"No…"

"Sleepy?"

"No…well, kinda…" He admitted. Azumi did interrupt him from his sleep after all.

"What's with your weird colored hair anyway nii-chan?"

At this point he was beginning to get a little irritated. "What's it to ya anyway?!"

"I knew he was angry!"

"Run away, it's a yeti!"

The children all screamed and giggled as they ran, looking back occasionally to see if they were being chased.

"_Yeti? What the hell is a-" _

Splat.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched as the snow made its way down his face of its own accord. No…he wouldn't be led on. He wouldn't fall for their stupid-

Splat, splat.

He slid his hand slowly down his face taking the small globules of snow with its path downwards, revealing a frosty glare that was directed at the bunch of tyrants who were currently jeering at him with raspberries and weird faces.

"Go back to your cave Yeti!"

"Yea! You and your pee-colored hair!"

"P-Pee colored?" He squeaked, pulling on his bang until it reached his level of sight. The rubber-made glove groaned as the material rubbed against each other, his right hand slowly closing into a trembling fist.

The last straw had just been pulled…

----

"Mi-Chan, aren't you going to be late for training?!"

"I know, I know! I'm going!"

Takahashi Michiru, a teenage girl of 5' 5" hopped into the doorway of her home, one hand braced against the wood while the other was busy fastening the last of the clasps on her boots. "Bye Mom!" She shouted before pulling the door close behind her, adjusting her shoulder length black hair into two identical ponytails that hung at the sides of her face. Her soft emerald eyes took on a determined appearance as she sprung off the steps onto the neighboring rooftop, stopping momentarily when something peculiar caught her eye.

She saw her brother and his little friends being chased around (somewhat playfully) by what appeared to be an army of blondes? They were each identical; parading around in the same winter outfit, all with the same loud voice. She couldn't even say with confidence that she would be able to tell which one was the real one if she had ever been given the opportunity to.

Though, it didn't look like he was too successful at what he was doing as the children were capitalizing on the fact that he kept getting stuck in the knee-high snow. It was funny though, if anything, to see them wailing on the foreigner.

"Grr…I give up! Just teach me how to stop getting stuck in the snow!"

Her brother stood triumphantly before the army grinning cheekily. "First, you have to call me the great Souta-Sama!"

"Never!"

"Hehehe…fine with me, Yeti." Souta grinned, looking over his shoulder to address the group behind him. "Bring out the YS, special formulae number seven!"

There was a collective shout of "Eh?!" from the gathered children.

"Number seven?!"

"Don't you think that's a bit too harsh?" Another said worriedly.

Souta shook his head in disagreement. "No! He needs to learn who the boss is around here!"

"_Oh no…I need to put a stop to this." _She thought as she watched the scene unfold, but the prospects of actually finding out where they hid the disgusting things was too tempting. _"But eww…the special formulae series? That guy's got it bad…" _

The young female Shinobi watched as one of the girls in the group disappeared in to her home for some time before walking out dragging with her a small cooler, the number "7" on its label.

"Kukukuku…" The leader of the young tyrants chuckled darkly as he received his package and he opened the container slowly before removing its contents, a heavy offending smell permeating into the air from its release. He raised the yellow-gold snowball high, marveling at its glory. "Magnificent!"

The blonde teen pinched his nose shut. "Ugh…that's awful! What the hell is it?!"

The boy smirked. "It's the combination of our essence into one beautiful, diabolical work of art. And I'm going to plant it on you if you don't submit to me!"

"Like hell I will!"

"Have it your way!" He yelled in return as he reared his arm back, priming the snowball for launch. Midway through his arcing motion however…

"SHOUTA, WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT MAKING THOSE DISGUSTING THINGS WITH YOUR FRIENDS?!"

"Crap, It's Neesan!" The putrid ball of yellow slipped from the boy's hand, sailing right over the head of the blonde nearest to him…

And into the face of another one.

"OH GAWD! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!!!" It wailed as it thrashed about in the snow before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Then, as if in a chain reaction the others followed suit, disappearing in a myriad of screams and curses until there was only one blonde left writhing in agony on the fallen snow.

"RUN!" On Souta's command the children all scattered immediately, all of them retreating into homes of either themselves or of their friends leaving the girl who had initially brought out the offending ball struggling to return the container to the confines of her home.

"Ume!" Michiru called out to the young girl and she froze in her tracks. Tears began to accumulate at the corners of her eyes as she prepared herself for what she thought was most likely going to be a scolding.

"Ume…"

"P-Please don't scold Souta-kun. I-I…"

"You don't have to defend my slimeball of a younger brother Ume. I won't tell your parents about what happened but you should stop letting Souta force you into doing these things!"

"H-He didn't force me…"

Michiru sighed. Of course he didn't, the girl would follow him around hopelessly because of that stupid crush of hers. To make matters worse her brother probably knew and was using the girl to his heart's content. "I won't tell your parents Ume, this time…" She threatened her as she grasped hold of the handle to the cooler, relieving the girl of it (and what remained of its diabolical contents). "…but make sure you tell that Souta I've got a beating for him when we get home!"

The young girl looked worried for a moment but it seemed the presence of her own smile made the girl's worries disappear and she sped off happily to rejoin her friends. Good, her first problem was over. She turned to the boy that was surprisingly still writhing on the ground in agony. It couldn't have been that horrible, could it?

She honestly didn't want to know the answer to that.

"Are you okay?" She asked tentatively as she approached him, her weariness of strangers kicking in. His eyes flashed dangerously as he glanced upwards to glare at her.

"Didn't you see?! I got nailed right in the face with that thing!"

"Yes, but…" If she was uncertain before now she was just plain confused. She was pretty sure that the one before her was the one of the many that had been spared the initial blow. Hell, she couldn't even find any traces of the thing on him. She took out her handkerchief and wet it by a nearby tap that was fed water by the underground springs, handing it to him to clean his face of nonexistent bodily fluids if only to settle his mind for the moment.

He muttered a small 'thank you' and she watched as he proceeded to clean his face thoroughly albeit slowly, the obvious sign of deep thought present when she repeated her earlier question and no answer was heard. As she stared on at the downhearted boy, she forgot about her earlier engagement with her team and got lost in the color of his golden locks. Such a rarity it was; her never having seen such a bright shade of yellow on anyone's head before and as the dull, grey-white light coming down from the overcast sky reflected off it, it seemed to glow with an ethereal radiance. Seeing the sun was also a rarity here in this snowy village, and here she was staring down right at its equal.

It made her want to get burned by its touch.

At that thought her body began moving on its own and she was only centimeters from entangling her fingers within his locks, not even remembering when she removed her warm glove in the first place. He shifted however and she flinched, the shock at the sudden movement returning memories of her previous engagement with it.

"Ah!" She exclaimed, pulling out her pocket watch. "NOOOO! I'M _SO_ LATE!" She turned to run when the blonde caught her eye again. "Umm…you can keep it. You know…just in case we never meet again. See ya!"

When she turned to run again, she would miss the cerulean eyes that would have met hers and the urgent call for her to wait.

----

"Damn…she's gone." He murmured as he stared into the distance. When he could no longer see the back of the girl he just met he turned his focus to the soft fabric he held in his hands. The whole morning outside the castle came back to him; the meeting with the children and the arduous snowball fight that followed, there was no doubt in his mind that he enjoyed it despite his previous sour mood. His shoulders shook slightly as a snicker escaped his dry lips, soon escalating into a loud, true laughter that came from the depths of his stomach and reverberated through his body.

His smile was finally back now and damnit he was going to make it hold this time.

"That's right; I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage and prankster extraordinaire!"

If they didn't want him to leave then he would just make himself comfortable. He would kick back and prop his feet up on their tables and track mud through their homes. That's right, he would make himself unwelcome and become _the_ pest of all pests.

"By the time I'm through with this village they would be _begging_ me to leave! Believe it!" He declared loudly, ignoring the strange looks from the passers-by. The problem was however, was where to start.

A loud rumble came from below and he smirked.

There was no better place to start than with lunch. He was going to eat his fill, then slap the bill on the on that white-haired bastard's tab.

Oh was he _so_ going to enjoy this.

----

Azumi walked briskly through the town, her lengthy white hair licking like hot flames every which way as her eyes darted to and fro desperately trying to catch a glimpse of her blonde haired charge. After he had left that morning she had gotten up and changed to go off in search of him after some thought on the matter (her father's punishment be damned), leaving her to traverse blindly through the somewhat large village.

Even though she had told him to go outside and experience the village during its brief moments of sunlight, she had forgotten that he was but a foreigner on their soil and would only get lost traversing the many districts.

She paused in her stride.

Was she really worrying for his well-being? As only a human being would right? It was normal to express worry for someone when they were troubled, right?

Yes; she refused to believe anymore that a Shiraiyuki was born devoid of the emotions that defined a typical mortal soul. If that had been the case, then she would not have tried so hard for Koyuki's sake as well. She was just like anyone else with a beating heart…

But then, why was it taught that Shiraiyuki tended to be as cold as the ice they commanded?

Before she could delve any further into that thought there was a loud shout and someone ran by her in an obvious hurry, barely avoiding a collision with her. She rounded the corner though, curious as to what would illicit such a reaction from a person when her eyes fell upon the figure of the very person she was searching for. Suddenly a feeling of what she would identify as relief at finding him rushed through her veins as she made to make her presence known but…

"By the time I'm through with this village they would be _begging_ me to leave! Believe it!"

She stopped in her tracks, his words echoing repeatedly in her mind as she moved out of plain sight once more.

There was no need for her to worry for his wellbeing after all…

----

"The gender signs on the public baths being mysteriously switched in the middle of the day, soaked toilet paper in public restrooms and in several highly established restaurants, reports of snow being dumped into civilians' homes through the chimneys…" Yukio trailed off as he ran through a list of filed disturbances occurring within the past hour.

"Yes, and more complaints are coming as we speak sir."

"Any ideas as to the cause of these…mysterious problems?"

"No sir, but the Shinobi are getting a little…antsy." She said, holding back a giggle. It was quite understandable as it had been some time since there had been a disturbance of any level.

"I see…"

"Sir, I'm sorry for interrupting but you have got to see this!" A man rushed past the open doors, his face twisting occasionally as if he was trying to hold back a smile. "There's something happening on the southern crag wall!"

Yukio sighed as he shuffled off his slippers, putting on some appropriate wear for going outdoors. Not that he minded of course seeing as he had nothing else better to do.

----

Naruto leaned back from his elevated suspension with his thumb and forearm extended, eyeing his work critically. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out exactly what kind of expression he should put on his Yukio look-alike.

Originally, his finale had been to decorate their Kage monument just as he had done in Konoha, but his utter shock and surprise there was none! What was he supposed to do now?!

Then it struck him; why not create a monument on his own? Oh the brilliance of it all!

And it didn't hurt that he had been blessed with the artistic talent of a god either.

"Hey! Your side's looking good!" The blonde working on the right side of the face commented suddenly, pushing off from the wall to get a better view of the side furthest from him.

"Yours too!" The blonde hanging from the left side replied happily as he turned to the one in the middle. "Yo, how's the face coming?!"

"I just can't seem to get it right! If only I could see his ugly mug right now inspiration might strike!" Naruto cried out in exasperation. Since he had been on sort of a time schedule he had needed some additional help with the work to be done, and what better help than a shadow clone? The things were convenient; it didn't take much to make a couple of 'em, they all had his tastes, AND they held conversations!

Honestly, if he had known the technique all those years ago he wouldn't have been so lonely!

And it wasn't hard to find the extra ropes and pulleys either since any ole civilian mart sold them; he just had to smile sweetly, show them the piece of paper Azumi gave him earlier and request to put them on Yukio's tab. It was all too easy!

"Umm…there's a pretty large crowd down there…" One clone said worriedly glancing downwards. It seemed as if word of a new artiste in town spread rather rapidly and true to its word the people broke out in large numbers to see his debut.

"They'll spoil the surprise! Where's crowd control?!" Naruto barked.

_Meanwhile…_

"If you would please direct your attention over here…we have another special show to perform for you!" Another _Kage Bunshin_ utilizing _Henge_ to change its appearance stood tall atop a box (a transformed clone) holding a large funnel (another clone) while waving a _harisen_ (yet another one) in the general direction of the so called 'act' where two other clones stood. When the people had finally managed to tear their eyes away from the face cliff to study him, he flashed a large grin.

"Now for the finale!"

"_**Henge!**_**" **The clones called out in unison as they became shrouded in smoke.

Whatever the onlookers expected to see was dashed immediately as out from the smoke two identical visages of the village's leader filled their sights. If that wasn't shocking, then the lewd acts they performed afterwards were simply that and much, much more. Parents covered their children's eyes with mouths agape, almost regretting the decision not to cover their own eyes while others simply laughed at the absurdity of it all.

_On the cliff's face…_

"Crowd control is crowd control is a success!"

"Excellent, now to complete the face before…"

"Yukio's here!" His lookout at the top of the cliff shouted and sure enough, parting the crowd like a vicious _Fuuton_ Jutsu over open waters was the leader himself, decked out in his thick white robes with his ever present flat line lips of neutrality. He strode up calmly to the two fakes that were busy fondling themselves and had his ANBU subdue them before taking the cone from the nervous blonde and directing it upwards.

"Are you quite finished Naruto? If you are, then please come down."

"Ha! I'm not even close to finished jerk but thanks, seeing that face of yours really gave me the inspiration I needed!" Directing his helpers once more they began again aiming to put the finishing touches on the portrait set in ice.

Because he had nothing with which to conceal his project from the ever-watchful eyes of the public, they could see the expression unfolding and many were already trying to hold in smiles of their own, giggling at the envisioned finished product.

"FINALLY, IT'S FINISHED!" Came the excited shout from the cliff side drawing all eyes upward and Naruto smirked triumphantly. _"Ha! I'm going to embarrass him in front of his whole village and then he'd have no choice but to let me go!" _Yes, his plan was going to work. All he had to do was wait for it…

The people broke out into a roaring laughter that could be heard from a kilometer away, drawing all who weren't present at the scene like ants to a meal. There, situated on the village's southern most boundaries was the visage of their current leader sporting a look none had ever seen before…a huge toothy grin that spread from one ear to the next with the upturned 'U's for eyes to match. The boy had even gone so far as to include an arm, proclaiming a giant 'V' with its middle and index fingers.

The laughter grew as the initial shock passed and the simple absurdity of the image filled their thoughts, all forgetting that the very person who was being mocked at that moment was standing right amongst them. If they had been paying attention however, they would have seen the slight upward curvature of his lips before they reversed in direction split seconds later.

Having being proud of is accomplishment Naruto returned to ground level to be greeted by the deafening sounds of chatter and laughter as people moved to congratulate him with pats and words of a job well done. This had confused him. He had never once been appreciated for his 'deeds' before and this new experience was leaving him with an immense feeling of unease. He could not stop the sense of pride from creeping in however, it being the first time anyone had truly appreciated anything he did.

The people begun to part ahead of him and the figure of Yukio could be seen moving towards him slowly, the expression on his face anything but pleased.

"Let us return to the castle, Naruto." Yukio said in his naturally level tone.

And suddenly everything felt dull again when he gazed upon the dissatisfied frown of the man before him and felt the presence of the extra "muscle" behind him.

The crowd simmered down considerably looking on in silence as the boy was led away, some even outwardly expressing their concerns to one another about the boy's impending punishment.

"Take it easy on 'im, will ya Yukio-Sama?" A worried voice spoke up from within the mass of bodies and Yukio made a slight glance towards its source, appearing un-phased as he proceeded onwards. He had a part to play and an image to uphold after all.

----

The small procession stopped unexpectedly and the frowning leader turned to face him.

"You may leave now."

"Sir!" The two behind him saluted before taking off, leaving a totally confused Naruto.

"So…were you the one that caused all those other 'mishaps' Uzumaki-san?" Yukio asked conversationally as he begun walking again, forcing the lad to follow once more.

"Damn straight it was me!" Naruto boasted without delay and waited, fully expecting the fruits of his arduous labor to pay off.

"So did you have fun?"

The question caught him totally off guard, almost leaving him face down on the stone walkway as he faltered in his step. "Wha?"

"I asked if you had fun, Naruto." He repeated.

"Of course I did but what does that have to do with anything?!"

Yukio stopped and turned to face the boy fully, throwing him off balance yet again. "I must apologize wholeheartedly for my behavior at breakfast this morning, Uzumaki-san. As a Fuuinjutsu master myself I became enthralled with the idea of encountering and deciphering a seal I have never encountered before. The truth is, however, is that we retrieved your body from the Frozen Plains we left behind a calling card of sorts, which would undoubtedly lead your friends towards our location she they possess competent trackers. As a result, there will be those from your village coming to collect you in due time and so, there would be no point in me arranging an escort for you."

Naruto's mouth floored. Why the hell didn't he just say so from the beginning?! He spent his entire day running around for squat!

"It was why I asked if you enjoyed yourself today for I was afraid that there would be nothing for someone of your energy level to be taken with."

Naruto stared at the man openly, not bothering to hide his annoyance when he realized that he had failed in his plot to rile him up. He was about to blow up on the poor guy when he spoke up once more.

"I wish to thank you for your efforts today, however." Yukio said sincerely, turning to give the boy a warm smile, unnerving the boy even more. He elaborated to clear the confusion. "This village is not what it appears to be Naruto. Despite the easy going appearance of the villagers, we have been facing many troubles as we were forced to become totally self sufficient, and I am afraid that we may be are nearing the end of our prosperity. They say difficult times bring the people closer together but this village knows neither war nor internal struggles, and I feel that because of that, this village is prepared for neither." Yukio paused and shifted the focus of his attention upwards towards the cliff. "To watch the people of this village come together and share something, even at my expense, is something I have wanted to see for so long. For this, Uzumaki-san, you have my eternal gratitude."

Naruto watched as the aged leader bowed quite deeply before him, his empathy towards the man's plight totally forgotten as he reveled in the throes of having someone bow to him for the first time in his life. "Wait…so you're not mad?" Naruto asked a little sheepishly.

"Quite the opposite I'm afraid." Yukio rose when it was obvious that the boy was enjoying his subservience. "Hopefully today would be the topic of discussion amongst the villagers for some time to come. You may have to apologize to all those people you have troubled however and I may have to smooth out the surface of that cliff face; I'm afraid it does not suit me at all."

Relief…

It was strangely what he felt after hearing those words. Honestly, he didn't understand most of what was said but from the way Yukio bowed and thanked him, he got the feeling he did something good (despite the fact that he had set out with the total humiliation of the village's leader in mind).

But now he was torn. He knew he should be angry for what went down that morning, but for the life of him he could not fault the man. It had been his fault for being unable to answer the question. Then there was the fact that they had not been violent with him other than the times he had tried to escape the hospital, which was only to prevent him from hurting himself. They had been nothing but hospitable during his entire stay, accommodating him when there was no obvious cause for doing so. Even now they had offered him a room until they got things ready for him to leave.

He owed these people for saving his life, and even though he wasn't about to go and kiss their butts or anything of the sort, he wasn't going to hate them for helping him. He was going to stay safe, at least until Kakashi-sensei and the others came to get him.

"Still, as a show of good faith I would like to have you accompany me on a tour of the administration building. Will you join me?" Yukio asked and he shrugged. He had nothing better to do anyway.

* * *

"We're here…" The Chūnin drawled somewhat tiredly as he opened the door to deepest room in the castle depths. Normally, access to this particular room had been forbidden but since it was on orders from the village leader himself he had been allowed entry as the escort of the blonde beside him. Of course he had always been curious about what lied within the castle's dungeon, having heard of the tales its special occupant being the cause of the great ice encasement of the castle some ten years ago. Now that he was here though, he couldn't say he was all that surprised by the dank, dark appearance of a regular old dungeon.

"Hey, could you help me out here?!"

He couldn't say the same for his companion however as the idiot (what he had come to recognize the blonde as after all the shenanigans on the hospital levels), in his excitement, managed to chain himself to the wall with some old iron shackles. Looking around the room for some means to aid the panicking lad without destroying the property that was undoubtedly not his, he was quite relieved to find some spare keys hung on the wall next to the door's frame. It seemed like the keys to all the instruments were left seeing as the room was never used. He made his way over to the boy slowly in an attempt to make him suffer some more before unlocking his chains after fiddling around for the right set.

"Look," The Chūnin begun, trying to seem annoyed. "I was under strict orders to not touch anything so don't go around…"

"Hey, what do you think this one does?"

He turned reluctantly to find the blonde's neck lying in a small groove and situated above him, supported with what he hoped was a tightly fastened rope, was a large uneven blade.

Just his luck; the boy had stumbled upon a guillotine…

The door swung open suddenly, signifying the arrival of Yukio.

"Huh?"

The nin's eyes widened when the boy's sudden movement triggered the blade's decent, taking with it a few strands of blonde hair when it met the stand with a dull but loud 'Thunk'.

"_I don't get paid enough…"_

He walked quickly up to the middle-aged leader, presenting his lamp and the link of keys to the underground rooms before giving a short bow before making a dash for the exit. He cursed his lack of speed though when Yukio managed to grab hold of his shoulder before he could escape, informing him that his assistance may be needed.

Yukio took over, walking directly over to a metallic door in the far corner. He pressed one hand against it gently, frowning slightly when the coldness of the metal registered in him mind. _"It's too cold…" _Undoing the locks he could hear his daughter offering the boy his coat as he pushed open the iron doors with some difficulty. Almost instantly a blast of frigid air assaulted their senses as it rushed outwards, leaving them with a strong feeling of trepidation.

Yukio placed his hand against the wall and forced chakra through, watching as several tags lining the walls came to life to cast the room in a soft white glow. Every inch of the sparse room was glazed over in a thick sheet of ice, forming rather large shingles hanging down from the ceiling and huge stumps on the floor. White trails of vapor could be seen rolling off every surface to congregate on the floor before moving rather swiftly out the only opening as if they were convicts, ecstatic at finally being freed from their cell.

"Are the ice wards not working?" The Chūnin asked worriedly as his gaze ran fleetingly about the room, placing the lantern on the floor of the room. He moved over to where a ward was located on the wall, seeing the paper talisman surprisingly intact under the ice.

"The talismans were merely supposed to stop the ice from spreading beyond the walls; they are performing quite well." He said as he looked towards the far end of the room where the purpose of their visit laid. "Naruto," He started, gesturing towards the stand. "That is the reason for my bringing you here. Our village's symbol, what has come to be known overtime by others as _the artifact_ but formally known as the _Hyouden_ or _Eternal Field of Snow_, has watched over us for generations since after the time of our village's founding."

"Do you not want to take a closer look?"

**

* * *

**

**A/N: Like I said…it would be finished sooner. Kinda filler-ish but I hope it doesn't disappoint too much. Chapter 5 might take a little while though…**

**Once again, I thank you for taking the time out to read and I look forward to your reviews.**

**Andoryu**

* * *

_-Omake-_

"Naruto, we found something peculiar on your body." Yukio said, eyes narrowed as he stared down the boy sitting across from him.

"Something…peculiar…?" Naruto parroted in confusion.

"Yes…a mark of sorts."

"A-A m-mark?" He paused for a moment or two, as if trying to figure out what exactly they were talking about. Suddenly, realization struck him and his expression turned frantic as he stood with his hands clenched in the tablecloth. "M-Mark? Y-You don't mean _t-that_ mark, do you?"

Yukio exchanged looks with Azumi before turning back to the panicking boy. As far as they knew there was only one mark they knew about. "Umm…yes…I suppose we do. Also, if you don't mind, we'd like to take a closer look at it."

"The last time, Ino-Chan saw it and told Sakura-Chan, then Sakura-Chan laughed and told Sasuke-teme…that evil bastard never let me live it down for an entire year!"

"Naruto…I'm sure it's not that-"

"Every time…_every time_ I saw that bastard's smirk I felt like smacking it right off his smug face, but then he'd say it…"

"Naruto…"

"Then they made me their _slave_…oh the _nightmares_…"

"Naruto!"

"You have to promise me you won't tell _anyone_!" The boy pleaded despairingly, hands clasped and on his knees.

Yukio sighed; he didn't see what the big deal was about showing a seal or two. "It is fine Naruto…rest assured that what is revealed here will never leave this room.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Yes Naruto…now will you show us the mark?"

"Sure…" The blonde relented reluctantly and before anyone had a chance to object he unfastened the string that kept his pants on his waist.

It also happened to be the time when the head chef and other helpers would return from the kitchen to check up on them.

The pants came down.

"Wait…what are you…?"

The elastic of his underwear was pulled back.

"Oh my…"

"Is that a…birthmark?"

The room erupted into laughter.

_Meanwhile…_

"Achoo!" Sasuke let loose a vicious sneeze from his position against a tree before smirking as if he had found something funny.

Sakura perked up. "Something wrong Sasuke-kun?"

"Nn…" He grunted, turning away from his teammate to snicker silently.

"He he…Panda…"


	5. Follow as I Lead

**The Encroaching Frost**

A _Rising upon the Frosted Heavens_ _rewrite_

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special Thanks to HolyKnight5 for all his support!

**Chapter 5: Follow as I lead…**

* * *

"Why?"

Slightly taken aback by the boy's bland response, Yukio answered with a question of his own. "Should there be a reason why I should want you to experience what most have not?"

Naruto looked down the stretch of hallway warily. "But…"

"If it worries you so much then I shall even accompany you to the site. You merely have to look at it."

Naruto frowned. He didn't see the point in having to come all the way down here to look at a stupid sword but he didn't want to decline the man's offer. So he did what he would do under not-so-normal circumstances and forced a smile for the man, accepting his offer and forcing himself down the path in a purposeful stride, narrowly avoiding a block of ice in his path as he followed Yukio's lead.

Half way up the path he begun to hear something and he looked around skeptically, cupping his ears to make the sound clearer. "Hey Ojisan, what's that noise?"

"I'm afraid I hear nothing Uzumaki-san?"

Cringing at the formality (but not wanting to correct him) Naruto elaborated. "It's like this super high ringing sound!" He begun to shout as the sound got louder. "Man, it's so annoying!" Add to the peculiar sound his insides were vibrating wildly as well.

Yukio listened intently and could hear nothing at first, but as he moved closer he could hear the low rattling sounds of what appeared to be the sword moving around in its sheath. In addition, he could also feel his chakra resonating with the sounds coming from the artifact, making him tense even further. Sensing danger he decided to tell the boy to return to the entrance, but it wasn't until he turned to face the boy that the middle-aged leader became witness to one of the strangest things he would come to see for some time.

The boy's skin and hair was beginning to lighten before his eyes, the sun in his hair burning out in some places to become white while his skin grew paler by the second.

Yukio had no idea what was going on but it was the first time he had ever felt intrigued and somewhat panicked at the same time, and he must say it felt find of…exhilarating.

But enough about that…

"Uzumaki-san, return to the entrance at once!"

"Wha—Nngh!" Naruto buckled, sinking to his knees as he clutched his burning stomach. The Kyuubi was beginning to act up inside him, burning his insides with an intense red. His skin began to burn and singe in some places as the poisonous yet regenerative chakra within him fought for dominance with the other foreign entity, destroying and regenerating the cells that the foreign chakra altered.

A war was being waged inside him, neither sides making ground as they destroyed the battlefield around them and the on with the only casualty being the grounds on which they fought.

Yukio was to his side in an instant in an attempt to remove the boy from the immediate vicinity of the raging artifact, but in another apparent show of anger it lashed out in a wave of chakra, and he barely managed to form one hand seal before being enveloped completely.

* * *

_-Unknown Location-_

"**Why are you here?! Answer me!"**

The giant, white wolf snarled again as its terrifyingpresencebore down on him, its growls reverberating throughout his body and rattling his bones to the core. The huge beast pawed the ground beside him impatiently with heavy thumps. Noxious gases from its maw filled his lungs completely as he hyperventilated in fear. Honestly, wetting himself wouldn't have totally been out of the question if he hadn't gone to the bathroom earlier.

He tried to move, to do anything to get him away from the frightening thing but could only wriggle in his cocoon of snow that was created from the wolf's grand entrance.

"**WHY ARE YOU HERE!?" **

"I-I don't know! I was with Jisan in the ice room and before I knew it, I was here!" Naruto cried, struggling inside his little makeshift coffin of snow. His response only seemed to anger it more as its paws pounded the floor beside him, freeing him gradually until he could move once more.

Suddenly it stopped and sniffed the air repeatedly, turning its head from left to right as if searching for a vantage point. The blonde wasted no time in making a break for it, running as fast as his legs could carry him.

The wolf didn't take too kindly to that gesture however…

"GYAH!" He didn't stand a chance as he was pinned under the weight of the giant paw, the wolf displaying surprising control over its immense size and weight when only several of his ribs and bones were crushed.

A huge black nose descended upon him and the feral animal inhaled deeply, the huge drafts of air forming threatening to swallow him up into its nasal cavity as he struggled against his captive. It lowered itself more, pressing its heavy face into his fragile body more as the wet nose investigated every inch of him.

The animal calmed down some, its breaths coming out gentler as it moved closer to his neck and exhaled, hot breaths tickling the hairs on his neck causing him to squirm painfully.

"S-Stop it…that tickles…"

"**That scent…"**

"Huh?"

Before Naruto could ask about what it meant, the wolf stopped abruptly, leaping off from the curious blonde to land a few feet away in one smooth motion and only then could he see the number of tails it possessed: a staggering number of seven. It didn't seem to want to kill him anymore and if he couldn't escape from it inside wherever it was they were then he saw no reason to run. So instead he focused on the large being as it begun to gather what appeared to be chakra, watching as large tendrils of white and the snow around them begun to meet together in a dance of white threads to swirl around the massive beast.

A deafening howl tore loose from its throat as it craned its neck to the sky and the snow encased it fully in a tight ball, increasing its rotational speed. The ball then shrunk suddenly, then again, and again, until it shrunk down to only a small fraction of what it was before dissipating fully. Naruto strained his eyes to see what was behind the veil of crystal ice but could only see a small shadow of a thin lady, with seven long things waving about behind her…

"**That scent…so familiar…"**

And very naked as far as he could tell as she slowly moved within his range of vision, not that he had a problem of course since it was the basis behind his _Orioke no Jutsu_. Her wild hair reminded him of his only much longer and white and sprouting up from beneath it were two small pointed ears at the top and sides of her head.

Wait…

"What the hell?!" Naruto shouted as he pointed at the female slowly advancing on his position. Why the hell was there even a woman there? "What happened to-OOF!" Air rushed from his lungs as he was tackled mercilessly by the naked female who wasted no time in straddling the boy's pelvis.

She clutched at his jacket, pulling at the fabric.** "It is too faint…I have to make certain!"**

"Wa?!"

She ripped his clothes leaving several large gashes in the boy's body before pausing in a brief moment of surprise as she gazed upon the small glowing jewel that rested on his chest.

"**Where did you…"**

Suddenly a slender red tail shot out from nowhere and stuck the wolf in its side, sending it sprawling off the severely injured blonde and into the snow several feet away. The huge canine rose onto all fours slowly, growling ferociously as it glared into the distance.

"**This boy is my property and it would do you good to learn this well, WOLF!"**

Large red eyes blazed from within the void and the wolf took a fearful step backward. **"Y-You!"**

* * *

"_In the event that something should happen…"_

It was the only thought that ran through his mind as he raced for the office of the most respected medic in the village. It was just an inkling of a feeling, jus a small sinking feeling deep down within the depths of his stomach, but he knew something of that manner was going to occur.

After all, nothing went right when it came to dealing with that accursed sword.

Each and every time the sword had been attempted to be moved or drawn it would always turn out to an unprecedented mistake. It hadn't even been more than a few years ago when the last incident occurred, where the massive administrative tower had been destroyed after being pierced through and through by numerous spires of jagged ice.

And now this again…would those people never tire from destroying that place?

He arrived at his destination, not even hesitating when he banged loudly on the door before entering with a loud "excuse me!", and not even batting an eyelash when he found the supposedly most respected Genjutsu practitioner in the village rummaging through the desk's drawers.

"Umm…I can explain this…"

"Have you seen Master Izumi!"

"I think she took off for the day." She answered before returning to her guilty conscience. "Don't you want to know what I was doing?"

"I don't care…" He replied flippantly in response, returning to the crisis at hand. Izumi's home was too far…he needed to think of something else…_someone _else… "If Master Izumi's not here, where's Azumi-sama?"

"Umm…she's under house arrest I think—wait!"

"I don't have any time to waste, Master Hatsue, so I suggest that you finish whatever it is that you're doing and leave before Master Izumi finds you. Oh, and have the tower evacuated immediately! Yukikage's orders!"

The Chuunin left the room in a hurry, darting through the halls, into the main lobby (where he left an urgent note for someone to fetch Izumi from her home just in case, also entailing Hatsue's escapades inside her office) and out the front door where he stood looking out at the crag wall. He would have gone for Izumi himself but she had been further away from his position and he would have to double back through the hospital and the administration building to get there. Azumi was much closer being in the sector directly before him, and seeing as she was medic directly under the master's tutelage he figured she was the next best thing. So as he bounded off towards the home of their leader, he only had one concern left that disturbed him.

If and when that ice explosion went off, he wanted it to go off before he entered or after he exited the castle…

Because if it happened while he was inside he was going to be seriously pissed off!

* * *

_-Back inside the unknown domain-_

"**DO NOT INTERFERE, KITSUNE!!" **

The now distraught, fully transformed wolf snarled ferociously as it returned fire in the form of its tails. The fox dodged the attack easily before clamping down on a few with her vice-like jaw, twisting its head and body viciously to hurl the wolf across the unknown plains. The large beast hit the ground with a resounding thud (the forgotten half-dead boy whimpering as he bounced painfully from the vibrations caused) before immediately dissolving into snow. Silence ensued for a brief moment before the Kitsune leapt back suddenly, large tendrils of snow following in hot pursuit as it dodged and weaved through them all. Then, with one swing of one of its tails the tendrils dissipated instantly, the fox's control over all elements making itself known superbly.

The Kyūbi smirked. **"Even in this pathetic state of mine you still can not match my strength."**

"**Why are you even here?!" **The wolf frowned in utter disgust as its form appeared slowly from behind the curtain of snow, looking from the fox to the boy and back.** "Is that what I smelt from the boy, that disgusting stench of your foul odor?!" **The connection finally pieced together for the wolf and it barked its snide reaction. **"You got sealed! It served you right after all the atrocities you have committed in the past!"**

The Kyūbi's smirk gradually faded until it conformed back into a horribly disfigured snarl, its anger at the words spoken rising like molten rock within a volcano. **"Whatever sins I may have committed, pales in comparison TO THAT DAY YOU SOLD YOUR SOUL TO A HUMAN!!" **The Kitsune erupted as it shot angrily for the wolf only to meet head first with a solid wall of ice. **"LOWER THIS WALL SO THAT I MAY FEAST ON YOUR COWARDLY INNARDS!!"**

Declining kindly, the wolf stalked closer to the now unconscious blonde. **"With you sealed to a medium this is the extent of the chakra you are allowed to draw by your own will, and even though the same can be said for me, my medium happens to be an object and therefore I am able to draw much more. This leaves us pretty much even, making this wall more than enough to hold you for some time." **The wolf stated calmly as the repeated sounds of the fox's head slamming against the wall reverberated throughout the domain. **"Secondly, this innocent boy deserves not to be under your corrupt influence. I shall make it so that he can no longer be influenced solely by you."**

Cracks appeared in the ice as the Kyūbi's pounding became frantic as the wolf moved closer, its screams promising of much pain never-ending as a cloud of smoke enveloped the wolf, transforming it back into a human form.

The wolf stalked ever closer…

The crack in the wall grew larger…

The wolf straddled the boy, holding his broken body up for better access to his nape…

The Kitsune reared back, yelping with an ear-shattering fury…

As the wolf leaned in with fangs bared to mark the boy and as the ice wall shattered with one final blow from the mighty Kitsune, a bright blue light enveloped them, rendering them all powerless with a bright pulse as both the Ookami and the Kyūbi (the Kyūbi surprisingly less agitated than the two) was forced back into their realms, allowing the boy to go free of the mental entrapment.

* * *

With one arm outstretched Yukio managed to shield himself and the boy settled at his side from the effects of the flash freeze, but as the time drew on in the elongated room he began to notice strange wounds surfacing on the body of the boy. He could hear the faint snaps and pops of bones in the body shifting silently before him, and not long after that pools of blood begun to soak his orange fabric, something that served to only intrigue him further despite the danger.

The door swung in suddenly and he turned, the drenched face of his daughter the first to appear as she made her way over to his position with the wary Chuunin not far behind. Although he specifically stated that he should procure the aid of Izumi should anything go wrong but he had to admit there would be no fault in his logic she not have been readily available.

Though he could not say he was entirely pleased with the decision, what with Azumi's troubled state of mind. The girl may ask more questions than necessary and it would only prove to slow the safe recovery of the lad lying before them.

Azumi spoke not a word as she moved however, carefully and efficiently removing his clothing in a way where she would not damage them and disturb his several large lacerations further, in order to engage in skin contact. With the help of a diagnostic technique she ran her mind through his body, scoping out the extent of his injuries before relaying them back almost subconsciously.

"Both clavicles and his left humerus: fractured, two broken ribs, and internal hemorrhaging caused by a ruptured capillary." There was a long pause before she spoke again. "I…am afraid I have no explanation for the rapid deterioration and recreation of his cells however."

"Then may I be of assistance?" Izumi voiced from the doorway, bringing all eyes to her (some faster than others) and the Chuunin by her side.

Yukio casted his wary gaze in his daughter's direction as the head medic moved purposely yet gracefully down the expanse of iced over floor to take over the position as attending. He had seen the miniscule widening of the girl's eyes before she concluded in hesitation. It mattered little however seeing as Izumi would give him the answers he needed. Of course, it could simply be that she knew not the answer to the orange riddle lying before her, but cast in the shadows of naivety he was not and he would not be so easy to deceive.

He was beginning to doubt he had made the right decision in assigning her to the boy's care.

"Yukio-sama…"

Izumi's call brought his attention back to the present.

"This is…quite a peculiar case you have here, but before I explain further there is something I think you should know before hand. This boy has chakra denoting that of Shiraiyuki lineage…"

They all paused at the news, Yukio's eyes widening slightly as Azumi's averted from scene, but all comments were held as the woman had more news to speak of.

"…but he also possesses one other source of chakra, one of a poisonous nature that maybe the cause to all of his unexplained symptoms. I am not entirely sure, but seeing as the sword possesses the capability of producing chakra that bears a resemblance to your own, its close proximity to the child may have caused the chakra within him to perform an awakening of sorts. I don't know why but the other chakra is destroying the cells being altered by the Shiraiyuki chakra, but it is not destroying them randomly. It is destroying the newly transitioned cells, indicating intelligence on some form."

"Intelligence?" Yukio turned to look at the pulsing sword. "Would you say that it would be on the same level the sword shows?"

"Maybe; it _is_ true that they both show some form of independence from the actions or state of their hosts, but…"

"I see…" It was all Yukio needed to hear. Chakra was a never-changing force that flowed constantly in one given direction along a given channel. It never changes state or direction unless it is influenced by an outside force of some kind. The boy, who was clearly unconscious for that matter, possessed an independent entity inside his body that was able to manipulate another source of chakra also independent to that of his own. The sword, a non-living, inanimate object by itself did not possess the will to manipulate (or even contain chakra) on its own. For a non-living object to possess and retain chakra a seal would be needed, but for something like the ability to manipulate said chakra he could not understand what would be necessary for that to occur.

What was clear to him, however, was the fact that the boy and the sword shared a common trait of sorts, and if he would not be able to ascertain this information from the boy, then the only logical choice would be to seek answers from the other. There had to be records of some form pertaining to the sword's unique personality; they had simply not looked hard enough in the past.

Also, he needed to know exactly just who it was that the child hailed from, if it is indeed an indication that their blood could be elsewhere.

"We must act quickly Yukio; the boy is on the verge of passing." Izumi informed him, breaking him from his muse and he nodded. He would not lose the boy that day, there were too many questions, surfacing after the boy's arrival that would not be left unanswered.

"Move him." He ordered and watched as the two Chuunin present went about the arduous task of trying to move him without agitating his condition. But before the boy could be carried off, a bright flash of blue originating from the boy's back halted their procession and he ordered him to be put down so that he may assess its origin. Raising the back of the boy's jacket he found the array of another seal. It was much smaller than the one on the boy's abdomen but it was one that he could at least recognize.

"_The 'false livelihood' seal…it explains at least one of my queries." _He thought as he watched the rapidly deteriorating seal. Like all other seals, with proper application it was undetectable by normal means but this seal allowed the bearer to assume an identity different from that of their own by altering the bearer's appearance without the use of a Henge. It meant simply that if the seal was unknown then the truth would be unknown.

The downside to the seal, however, was that the bearer would have to live with a vastly reduced chakra capacity due to the large amount of chakra the seal tended to siphon to keep up appearances.

"_So the boy's identity was hidden from those he was amongst…there is a fairly good chance that there is no one else like us elsewhere then."_ He guessed as the boy's features began to melt away into that of someone holding more resemblance to him and with that, more good news began to flood in.

"Yukio-sama, it seems as if the boy's change halted his self destruction. His body is miraculously beginning to repair the damage done to it." Izumi informed him and he acknowledged her.

"Good, let us take this opportunity to move the boy away from the influence of the sword, which seems to have calmed significantly as well." Yukio ordered once more before turning to their village's chief of medicine. "Izumi, while the boy lies unconscious, withdraw some of his blood and find out for me who he succeeds. I must know immediately."

"Azumi can take care of that matter seeing as I have duties elsewhere." She declined respectfully, taking a glance at Izumi who seemed to have perked-up a smidgen at the suggestion.

"No…" He disagreed, glancing briefly in his offspring's direction. "The day is not over as yet and so she must return home."

"I'm afraid he is correct Izumi-shishou, I should not even be here at this moment. I was not even of any assistance to you or to Uzumaki-san."

Izumi smiled gratefully. "No it's fine, you did your best."

"Thank you." Azumi said graciously, bowing deeply before righting herself a turning for the door. "Well, if you will please excuse me."

The two remaining righted themselves after her departure, the lady speaking while watching her apprentices back shrink with the ever growing distance between them. "Yukio-sama, I was wondering if I may be able to resume my training with Azumi-kun. It _has_ been quite lonely in my office for some time now."

"No…" He stated quite levelly as he watched his daughter disappear through the open door. "I think I shall be…extending her punishment. I shall be expecting those results later, Izumi."

* * *

_-Somewhere in the Snowy Village-_

The walk home for Azumi was filled with nothing but trepidation at what was to come as she ran the events of earlier through her mind continuously.

She had known what it was that was happening with Naruto's body of course; she was a Jōnin level medic and therefore most skills was already well within her level of execution, but she was quite sure that bright red chakra was the source of her charge's fear the moment she laid eyes on it. For once she laid her hands on his body she immediately felt it, the unmistakable feeling of malice and anger as the chakra made its way through his body from the large, black spiral on his abdomen. There had to be something else controlling that malicious force – the boy possessed not the personality to produce something so heinous she reckoned – but although she felt no obvious presences inside him, she knew something had to be there.

However, she could not possibly fathom the kind of existence that could be hidden within him…

In the past though, she had heard and read medical accounts about persons with recognized split personalities being subjected to experimental sealing procedures to repress the secondary personalities, a successful sealing occurring only after a few failed attempts.

But in all those cases the seals had been located higher up, closer towards the brain stem, and had been definitively smaller and less complex. She could not rule it out entirely however. The size and complexity of the seal could indicate the amount of influence the secondary personality could have on the primary and the additional effort needed to restrain the individual entity, and just because there had been no documented accounts describing the correlation between the distance of the seal and the brain stem, it did not mean that there was an actual relationship. The case may be that like any other seal of any kind, it could be placed at any location and achieve the desired results as long as there was enough chakra being siphoned to the seal to overcome the distance from the intended area to be affected. In fact, it could…

"…" Azumi stopped and pinched the bridge of her nose…she was getting way too distracted.

So…if he did possess something akin to a hidden persona, was it the one behind the malevolent chakra? It could be, but then again she had never heard of the body (or any body for that matter) possessing two completely different sources of chakra. A body possessed only one source; given at birth it was the culmination of both of the parents' chakra, and it was that that sustained the body throughout its entire life. The additional source would then have had to come from outside the body, but then that would mean that the persona within him stemmed from somewhere beyond the depths of his consciousness.

Was that the purpose of the seal, to contain not only the insurmountable mass of chakra but the deviant behind its malevolence?

Whatever it was though, she thought as she dismissed the befuddling thoughts, it was that and the fact that the boy possessed genes resembling their own that would give her father even more of an incentive to keep him under lock and key, making it harder for her to move with him.

Yes, she had not given up on leaving the village with him in tow.

After all, even if he was mistaken about whom he had come across on their mission to their country, even if he somehow did turn out to be of relation to them, he still deserved to go free regardless. He belonged elsewhere _and_ he was a Shinobi of a major influential power to make matters worse. It would be infinitely times more beneficial for them to release one Shinobi than to bring the wrath of an entire country's militia onto their shores.

Breaking from her inner tirade to hold of a visual grasp of her surroundings, she looked around to find herself in an unfamiliar place or at least place that was unfamiliar at first glance. Exiting from the front of the administration building, she found that she had wandered around the boundary of the massive hole and over to the front of the hospital _(A/N: the admin building and the hospital backed each other)_ while immersed in her thoughts. She thought nothing of it however as she continue onward towards the reception hall, flipping a hood over her head to cast a shadow over her features. She knew not why her body chose to defy her father's orders yet again she found herself not caring at all.

Ever since that boy…no…Naruto's arrival to their desolate village Azumi found herself being consumed by more and more of her emotions each day. Never before would she have thrown away her family's teaching and blatant warning to forego logic in favor of impractical emotions.

But, she had never been able to think so clearly before now either, and because she questioned the things happening about her, she was able to realize things she never had before.

However, there was a consequence to her new found enlightenment and she had no doubt her father was now wary of her. Her absence from the home this night would no doubt result in her receiving an even harsher punishment once he caught wind of it.

Her thoughts of punishments brought to mind her mentor, Izumi.

Azumi had no doubts in her mind that Izumi had been able to figure out the gist of what the seal was designed for (seeing as Azumi had come to realize it herself) but what she did not know was why Izumi decided to withhold the information from her father as well.

The woman was a Master though, a highly respected member of the Shinobi art and so she probably was at no risk of being badgered by Yukio.

Or at least not for a long time, she thought.

Even if there was a punishment awaiting Azumi, though, she would not be found so easily, as there was one place in the entire village where even he would not dare venture unprepared.

And it was in that very hospital, where she was headed at that very moment.

"_Room 301…" _She thought, apprehension filling her as she opened the door slowly. There, on the bed resting peacefully was a very slender woman of deep voilet hair and fair complexion. Upon awakening to her footsteps, eyelids parted to reveal eyes of greenish-yellow as the person turned to greet their unexpected visitor.

"Azumi…chan?" The woman murmured groggily, stark surprise on her exhausted features before it dimmed to a pleasant, yet tired smile. "I cannot say I'm not thankful that you came to see me, but it has been so long since your last visit that it makes me think you've only come here to escape from your father's whims."

Azumi resisted the urge sweat-drop. "I'm sorry but my duties—"

"Yea, yea…you and your 'duties'…" She waved her hand dismissively, patting the empty space on her bed to beckon Azumi onward as she sat up, more of her shapely form being revealed as the covers drew downward, a saggy, shapeless sleeve where her left arm was supposed to be. "You were never happy when faced with responsibility. You were always a free spirit Azumi, a trait I'm sure Yukio despises to this day."

"_Am I…unhappy even now?"_ Azumi glanced downwards, unsure of her own feelings towards the question. She was not even sure if she knew what it meant to be happy. Sure she experienced the feeling before, but it had been so long before and other events leading up to that day long overshadowed the feeling.

"But I see you have a purpose now; you don't seem as listless as before and I'm happy for that." The woman smiled as she continued, sensing the girl's distress. "Now come…tell Kaasan all about it."

* * *

_-Emergency Medical Treatment Facility, OR 1-_

"Set him down gently…" Izumi told the two Chūnin grudgingly, arms folded as she watched them do their jobs before leaving.

Blood recognition tests…she was not in the mood to conduct blood tests at the moment at all after having been dragged from her home during her night off. For one they were way too time-consuming because of the numerous processes that made up the procedure, but there was definitely an easier and way more efficient way of determining lineage, and that was by way of using chakra.

She sighed as she moved towards the files she brought with her, leaving the five medics she brought with her to tend to the boy's wounds. Because every person possessed a unique signature and it was available from birth, chakra from every newborn is collected and stored within blocks of wood containing chakra inductors called chakra generators, which allowed the chakra taken from a body to keep in continuous motion and replicate itself as if it were in the keirakukei _(A/N: The network of energy lines through which chakra flows) _of a living being. The chakra could then be used continuously without fear of depletion as long as it was never over taxed.

So before accompanying the two Chūnin to the room, she had to stop for a brief moment in the chakra archive to retrieve samples from all those on record that descended directly from the Shiraiyuki line, which wasn't as arduous as she initially thought considering that there were only a few that would be viable for the test.

Izumi spread the seven slips of paper out on the table equidistantly before taking out the sample she retrieved directly from Naruto. _"If the boy is of any relation to these people then there should be a reaction when I pass over one." _She thought as she moved Naruto's piece over the spread laid out before her. There were miniscule reactions with all of them where some shifted while others turned, suggesting there was a relation of sorts but there was one that stood out amongst the rest, glowing dimly as she passed over it.

Honestly, she was not surprised one bit by the results and she was sure Yukio wouldn't be either.

"Now I only have to record it and…" She trailed off suddenly, narrowing her eyes as her ears picked up something unusual.

It sounded like heavy breathing she surmised, recognizing the ins and outs of the open mouth and she turned her curious gaze to the only unconscious occupant in the room, watching as his chest rose and fell deeply with every breath.

And with every exhalation she could feel the temperature in the room rise ever slightly…

"Is his body…trying to _expel_ heat?" She wondered aloud offhandedly, a question that was soon answered as she witnessed his breath's slow transformation into white puffs of vapor as time drew on. She supposed it made sense though seeing the type of chakra that body was to be designed for but she still was no expert on the subject as there were never any cases of Shiraiyuki going through such a process – another reason why it would have been better for her apprentice to be in his presence instead. However, with Yukio involved there was no helping the matter and so they would have to make due with simple monitoring. Who knows, maybe she would be able to gain vital information pertaining to the ever mysterious Shiraiyuki.

Completing the task given to her she tore the chakra-containing papers and stalked towards the door. "I shall entrust his recovery to you five as I retire for the evening."

"Izumi-master, it's a good thing I found you before you left. You see, the masters have—"

The messenger dropped to his knees and onto his side faster than he could finish his message, leaving Izumi to stroll out the room without a backwards glance.

* * *

_-Kyūbi's Keep-_

"_Cold… It's so…cold…"_

Naruto breathed exhaustedly as he drifted slowly backwards through his dark world. His body still bruised and broken from his earlier altercation with the wolf he could neither move nor find the will to speak, but in the realm of his mind it mattered not he found as his thoughts rang louder than any uttered words.

Like before he could see nothing but the ceiling over his head, but unlike that time he could feel a light, chilly breeze blowing in from the direction he came and with it, he could see small specks of white floating languidly above his head. One of the specks landed on his forehead and he shivered in response, wrinkling his brow as he tried to remove the puddle formed.

What kinda worried him, however, was the fact that he could hear the fox behind him throwing a hissy fit inside its cage…the very cage he was floating towards uncontrollably.

"_Stupid fox…" _The Kyūbi's bloodshot eyes centered on his immediately and he swallowed nervously. _"Umm…hi?"_

It was definitely not one of the smartest things he'd done during his lifetime.

It hardly showed any signs of annoyance though as the fox's merely narrowed its eyes before closing them completely, his presence disappearing from the cage entirely. Before he had a chance to question the fox's disappearance however the water around him began to heat up spontaneously as bubbles of red began to surface about him. The room became alit in a bright crimson as the bubbles congregated and merged into a giant mass where the semblance of a fox's head and front paws became recognizable only after a few minutes.

Placing two paws on either side of Naruto's prone body the fox head raised its height to look down upon the now extremely fearful boy.

"**Why do you cower?" **The Kyūbi questioned slyly as it pressed ever closer to the quivering pile of flesh beneath it. **"It is…amazing how quickly your bravado melts like the passing winter, but as much as this amuses me, we have more…important matters to attend to."**

The fox enveloped the boy in a globule of chakra eliciting screams of panic from its captor and raised him from the water level into the air, righting his body so that he could see down the waterway. **"Be silent and take a gander, human, at the extent of your folly." **

Stopping mid scream Naruto did as the otherworldly blob said and gazed down the channel. A long ways down there was a sort of hole in the ceiling and through it a bright light shown through, bringing with it the snowflake laden breeze he was feeling. Directly below the hole snow had piled up over the frozen 'water' which had already started creeping down the tunnel.

But wait a minute…

"_I didn't cause this…I don't even know how this happened!"_

"**It occurred because you so foolishly followed that human into that wolf's den."**

"_Den…?" _Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion before he realized what it was the fox was referring to._ "But how was I supposed to know that was going to happen?!"_

"**You didn't, but the fact remains that you acted like a mere pitiful stray, straggling behind a hand that offered you meat!"**

The stray comment really hit home in Naruto, unearthing long buried memories of his childhood and resurfacing them with a vengeance. _"Hey…"_

The Kyūbi thought nothing of the quiet response but quirked an eyebrow when it felt its chakra being pulled.

"_Don't _ever _call me a stray…" _

"**Feh…" **The fox snorted, putting a rein on his chakra seeing as it wasn't quite finished with it yet. **"It's what you are, orphan. You will never have a place to belong because of what you are, so learn to live with it."**

"_Like hell I will! I'm not a stray, I live in Konoha…I have parents…!"_

"**Who are most likely **_**dead**_** by my own devices, and those people in that wretched village? They will **_**never**_** accept you." **The Kyūbi finished for him, which only served to send Naruto over the top, causing him to find strength in his moment of weakness to try to lash out wildly with his left hand and feet at the giant fox head. It was to no avail though as the fox held him just out of reach and he sagged in defeat, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. The Kyūbi set him down none too gently on the water where he stood on his own.

"What the hell do you want from me?!" Naruto cried out in exasperation.

"**Soon from now this place will be frozen entirely, signifying the end to your little 'changes' but that is hardly the problem. Now that you possess what the wolf wants it will pursue you without qualm. You must resist its advances at all costs!"**

"The hell…" Naruto grumbled as he wiped his eyes. "It would probably be better if I listened to that stupid wolf instead of you anyway…"

The Kitsune bristled. **"Say what you will, boy, but an alliance with that wolf does not go without consequence!"**

"Shit, why do you hate the wolf so much anywa—" Was all he got out before the Kitsune's anger peaked immediately, its massive paw coming down in the cage with unprecedented force.

"**IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT ACCURSED WOLF THAT I AM WHERE I AM THIS DAY!!"**

A frightening wave of chakra blasted off the fox like a gale, pushing Naruto off his feet and into the iron bar behind him.

"**To expect that a being such as I to be subservient to one as insignificant as the dirt beneath toes…the mere thought of such a thing makes my blood curdle!!"**

Naruto sweat-dropped; the fox had an ego bigger than the whole of Fire Country. "Whatever, I still won't help you!"

"**Very well then…" **The Kyūbi yielded, but only momentarily as its chakra form dissipated into nothingness. **"You have yet to realize the extent to which my presence has on your wellbeing and when you do you will return, groveling before my keep as I look done upon your existence with contempt. Until then you may suffer, just like the lowly human stray you are."**

He was expelled from the Kyūbi's domain faster than he could let loose his stream of obscenities, but rather than being thrown out face first into the waking world, he would find that his subconscious experience was far from over.

* * *

_-The Next Day (early morning), Village's Administration Building-_

Yukio strode into the room calm and collected (despite spending the night in the office), looking up into the faces of those seated on the higher semi-circular platform who bore the esteemed title of 'Master'. Had he been anyone else he might have found the sight rather imposing on several different levels, but he was their leader, and they knew their place.

There were five Masters in all, each representing a different aspect of the Shinobi arts they possessed unmatched skill in.

The first one, Akiyama Taizo was a Master in the art of Taijutsu whose dojo was founded by a wanderer from the mainland who settled in their village.

The second Master belonged to his own clan, Shiraiyuki Genkei, who sought out to perfect his own unique style of Kenjutsu, and in so doing, became a Master. Genkei was sitting to Taizo's left, placing him in the center of the five present.

The final three Masters before him, however, represented much more than just people who possessed insurmountable skill within a particular area of expertise. They were the leaders who represented large groups of several families who followed in a similar art. A tradition dating back to the founding of the village, it was brought about by the founder who, after infusing different families with his special ice-natured chakra, suggested that those who possessed talents similar to that of others should group themselves together and help each other bring about enlightenment to the new bloodlines. The groups became permanent overtime and were developed into factions, taking the name of the family who possessed the strongest line. These factions were:

The Motou's, who was represented by the current Ninjutsu Master, Motou Sen, and was sitting on Genkei's left;

The Wakahisa's, who was represented by the current Genjutsu Master, Wakahisa Hatsue, sitting on the far right next to Sen;

And the Yukihiro's, the faction comprising solely of medics, whose representative, Yukihiro Izumi, seemed to be absent. He brought the fact to the other's attention. "Izumi-Master, why is she not present?"

Taizo shrugged. "Apparently the messenger we sent to her was found unconscious in the halls of her wards so it's hardly likely that she received the notice. We're just waiting to see if any more bodies are going to turn up."

"You have been moving without us Yukio." Genkei stated with slightly narrowed eyes, getting straight to the point. "And this has not been the first time either. Your blatant disrespect towards this council is—"

"Woah, woah, woah, calm down there Genkei." Taizo intervened worriedly, waving his hands about nervously. "He's here right? Therefore, there's no need to fight you guys!"

Genkei took a sip from the glass laid in front of him before responding. "So we must merely be content because he showed his face before us? How could I, when I know he only came here to fill my ears with senseless drivel?"

"I tell you only what must be told and nothing more, since, after all…" Yukio said calmly as he moved forward to the podium. "…as leader, _you_ merely have to follow as _I_ lead, is that not true?"

The glass cracked slightly under Genkei's grip as the words resonated throughout the relatively empty room, but angry he was not. In fact, he was already accustomed to the man's irresponsible words. However, it seems as if his annoyance was interpreted incorrectly as he felt the pressure a placating hand being placed on his shoulder by the man on his left.

"Calm down, Genkei-san." Sen whispered before turning a steely gaze on his so called leader. "You are sadly mistaken, Yukio, if you think that we were placed in this position to follow you like lost, little children. Hurry and give your report before…" The man's words trailed off as he gazed into the glowing ice blues of the man standing below him.

"You may be Masters of your respective arts but know your places." Yukio warned as he filled the room with a heavy atmosphere. "Even should you combine your efforts, I am afraid the outcome would merely be the same…every time."

Sweat formed on the brow of all those present as the threat was left hanging heavily like a drenched rug, but as quickly as the tension came, it went, the clearly established alpha amongst them returning to his former calm. "Now, let us begin shall we? Of course you all know our newest addition to our village, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Yes, but what we wish to know is why the hell were the doors leading to the _Hyouden_ opened to him?!" Sen seethed as he slammed his hands down on the semi-circular desk impatiently. "Was it not agreed that only those gracing this room presently would be allowed access?! Furthermore, the child is not even native to our country much less our village!"

Yukio folded his arms. "It was a simple measure of gaining his trust by showing him something of true value to our village."

"_True value…_?!" Sen questioned incredulously, "What would you have done in the instance that the _Hyouden_ decided to unleash it vengeance upon us once more?! That accursed sword is nothing but a hindrance!"

"That opinion belongs only to those who understands nothing about the sword nor of the potential it holds; it goes doubly so for those who have been afflicted severely by its power. In any case, I _am_ thankful it came not to that, but because of their meeting, I have—"

"Look Yukio-Sama," Taizo interjected civilly, "you have been conducting this 'project Snow Queen' for some time and although most would question the ethics behind it, I must admit that it is superb for keeping fresh blood within the village." The aged Genkei interrupted from his position at the center of the semi-circle. "However, this new catch of yours seems to be more trouble than he is obviously worth."

"'If you knew anything of his true value then you would not be making such a statement.' Was that what you were going to say, Yukio-dono?"

"Yes, something to that effect…" Yukio answered as he closed his eyes before addressing the new arrival. "Master Izumi, you are late."

"Forgive me, but the fault also lies with the late delivery of my invitation." She said innocently, taking her place beside Sen before turning an equally innocent smile in Hatsue's direction. "Good morning Hatsue, did you find what it was you were looking for in my office?"

The woman in question averted her eyes, bringing her palm to her face in an attempt to hide herself. "I-I have no idea of what you're talking about…"

Getting back on topic, Genkei raised a query. "What do you mean by his "true value"? Is there something else about the boy that you have also kept hidden from us?"

"I have only recently discovered this with the assistance of master Izumi so I shall duly ignore your accusations." Yukio said simply as he ignored the glare he was receiving. "However, in light of recent events, I have decided to forego telling you."

Sen grounded his teeth together. "What?!"

"You seem to enjoy questioning my every word so much so I have decided to simply let you assess his value for yourselves. Is this not a more satisfactory arrangement for you, master Genkei?" Yukio asked matter-of-factly as he packed up his files. "I shall let you know of his awakening, council."

Genkei said nothing as Yukio dismissed himself, his eyes simply following the man's movements as he slowly walked away unperturbed. From the very first moment Genkei had been able to fully comprehend the world about him his opinion of Yukio had never changed. For like the very locomotives their country once proudly gave birth to, Yukio mind always ran on one track, never slowing nor changing until it reached its desired destination, and within its cabins the entire village sat silently and unquestioningly as they were merely whisked off. It was the entire purpose for establishing the council of Masters; amongst their duties were the tasks of presiding over the districts to which they were allocated, leaving the military matters solely to the leader. However, that proved to be…

"A complete waste of time, that was." Hatsue, who had been silent thus far, muttered, leaning back in her chair. "Honestly, if he was going to do that from the beginning he should have just said so instead of calling us all the way out here—"

"It was we who called this meeting…" Genkei interrupted, a feeling of distaste surfacing in his mouth. "Once again that man's folly has gotten the better of this council. He is truly a troublesome leader."

Taizo folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. "I do not doubt his skills though; he _is _one of a kind."

"Indeed," Genkei agreed, "he is the strongest since our village's founding, the epitome of Shiraiyuki strength."

"It still doesn't excuse his brashness. I mean, playing around with that accursed _Hyouden_, even after knowing what it has done?"

"He is correct in that instance, Sen. You must let go of your hatred for that sword in order to see the true value it possesses. As a Kenjutsu specialist, such a weapon would be irreplaceable at my side."

"Whatever…" Sen grounded out through clenched teeth.

"In any case, I shall let you know of anything concerning this boy and we shall convene this meeting at a later date."

The looming wooden doors flew open with a bang, a large gust of wind ushering the disappearance of all the esteemed leaders except for one. He sat silently, eyes staring straight ahead as he watched motionlessly with his chin resting on interlaced fingers as snow filed into the room unrestrainedly, his hair coming to life behind him in the wailing breeze.

He was immersed in his element once more, and it was beginning to unknowingly soothe his stressed mind. The moment was short-lived, however, as an unexpected (but not fully unwelcomed) voice spoke up from below.

"You needn't worry so much, Genkei."

He closed his eyes as if reveling in the feeling of the cold. "I was not aware that I was experiencing such a feeling, Master Izumi."

"You Shiraiyuki are seldom aware of anything concerning yourselves." She responded in teasing manner as she closed the doors, eliciting a minute quirk of the eyebrows from Genkei.

His hair returned to his back as the winds died down and he turned his passive gaze upon the woman standing below him. "What is it that you need of me, master Izumi?"

Izumi smiled innocently. "Why to spoil the surprise, of course."

* * *

_-Unknown location-_

Hours…no, _days_ maybe…

Naruto had no idea how long he had been suspended in the darkness of his mind as reels of past memories floated on by in no particular order of when they were taken. They were just thrown at him over, and over again with no remorse, and they weren't just any old memories either.

No…they were the crème de la crème, the cream of the crop, the ones he had tucked away way deep inside himself for safekeeping…

The ones that made him regret ever having been born…

And he could not close his eyes to shield himself from them either. In fact, it only served to intensify the memory as he would come to view the memory through his own eyes as if he was reliving the event.

Even worse than that was that he could feel everything he felt at the moment the memory was taken.

Every tear that was shed…he felt it; it made him want to cry again.

Every instance of loneliness…he felt it; it made him want to curl up in a corner somewhere.

To top it all off he knew it had to be all the fox's doing. It had to be, there was no other explanation. And every time the thought crossed his mind a burst of anger would flow through his veins and he would scream, yelling with all his might into the pitch-black void.

"_Why is that bastard fox doing this?!" _

"_What was the bloody point in dong all this?!" _

Questions gone unanswered for a long time now and after a while of no responses, he just gave up, too hurt and too tired to shelve out anymore feelings of frustration.

Then, there was _that_…the one memory of his that cared nothing for monotony and he was starting to regret that he had done it so many times. It showed up every other two memories or something like that, and it didn't matter when it was taken…

They all hurt the damn same…

And as if he had signaled it with his contempt the reel sent the memory hurdling towards him and he cringed in anticipation.

He knew the routine like the back of his eyelids already…

With the backward-forward movement of the swing he would first look up at the sky, watching the fallen leaves drift with the air currents above before his head ducked down and his hands clutching tightly at the chain links and lap came into view. From there his ears would pick up the congratulations and the cries of joy being made a few feet away and his heart would ache, his eyes glancing only briefly at the hugs being shared by the students and their guardians and the brand new forehead protectors adorning the adorning the newly branded Genin.

Finally, his ears would pick up the conversation of people who had noticed him there and he would listen as most commented on the "demon's failure" with glee, never sparing him a second's glance as they moved off with their families. However, because this was the third time around, he got the pleasure of listening particularly to the two women gossiping, his eyes trailing upward to focus intently on their lips as their words left their mouths without pause.

"…_Who knows what would happen if that demon became a ninja?"_

After that, his gaze would return painfully to his lap where the memory would fade and he would be given some time to himself.

He hated those memories for one reason: it reminded him of two things he thought he would never be able to get. The first was recognition and respect; he had no forehead protector and could not become a ninja much less the greatest one of them all and therefore, he would never gain recognition from the villagers.

The second…was the love and warmth of a family as he watched the families converge and greet each other as they shared their successes and even failures together.

The first one he knew for sure was definitely attainable now, especially after the events at the Chūnin exams where the people started to look at him differently but the second…he always knew that it could never happen, but when he thought hard about the relationships he had with certain people (like Iruka, who he envisioned would be like a father to him and Jiraiya, who would be like a crazy uncle), he liked to imagine that they were like his real family.

However, after witnessing those memories over and over, he was beginning to think otherwise. Being physically, mentally and emotionally drained for so long sapped him of all reason, and he could no longer prevent thoughts of him being returned back to those days where there was not one person behind him from penetrating his thoughts…

The days where he would always be considered as a failure and a demon…

And so he succumbed, mostly because he no longer wanted to live through the pain of his memories.

"_Kyūbi's right…maybe I _am _a…"_ He began to conclude despairingly but the thought would never be completed though as the slides about him all collapsed and shattered into many pieces before falling downwards into the endless void.

He could hear nothing now and it was still hopelessly dark all around him, but he see blotches of a dark red scattered all about, he could feel the slight tingle of light breeze brushing the hairs on his arm, and the warmth of a weak heat source bearing down on his face.

He was awake now, his mind finally released and returned to the world of the living, but despite how relieved he thought he would be at his escape from the mental realm, he could not find it in himself to celebrate.

Never before had he ever openly admitted defeat before anything, not even as a fleeting thought, but just within a few hours, with that little session with the fox, had him completely and utterly terrified.

He was terrified of being abandoned there in Snow…of being a coward for the rest of his life…

…Of becoming a stray with nowhere to return to…

But even though he was afraid he would not lose hope; Kakashi and the others would return for him definitely and he would be able to go home where he rightfully belonged, where he grew up and became a Genin in, the place where all his goals for the future resided. He had to be careful now…he could not afford to do anything that would jeopardize his going back to Fire Country.

As long as nothing changed he should be fine…

After calming himself for a few moments he opened his eyes where he finally got a good look of his surroundings. The entire room had been coated with a thick layer of ice, something he had not been unaccustomed to given where he was at the moment but he would think that with all that ice he would be feeling cold. Instead, however, he was surprisingly comfortable in the supposedly low temperatures, even within the thin hospital gown and tightly wound bandages around his entire torso.

And with him noticing the bandages he acknowledged the injuries, which he had honestly thought wouldn't be real. Both his shoulders were messed up he found, and his left arm was in a sling and hurt whenever it moved so he could already guess what was wrong with it. Also, the bandages were wound up so tightly around his body that he could hardly bend forward.

"I would not recommend moving just yet, Naruto-san."

Stopping mid bend Naruto turned his head to his right side where his visitor was approaching from and put on his best pout, his spirits rising fairly well with a familiar face. "I told you to stop with the '-san' part didn't I, Azumi-Neechan?"

Azumi averted her gaze, fidgeting slightly under his disappointed one. "Y-Yes, you did, but I'm still finding it difficult to do so. I have never shared such closeness with anyone besides Koyuki-hime." She said truthfully, leaving Naruto a little confused.

"Wait…you didn't have any friends?" He asked suddenly, perturbed by the sudden enlightenment. "Not even when you were small?"

"I'm afraid not. I was too…"serious", as they put it, to be considered worthy of friendship and I was…"

He reached out for her hand and touched it gently, startling her out of her sentence. Her eyes met his and he gave her a look that told her he understood well what it was he thought she went through. She pulled away soon after though, feeling highly uncomfortable with the unaccustomed touch and she changed the subject.

"I-I see you are adjusting well to the changes to your body." She said, averting her eyes and covering the hand he touched with her other one. "Honestly, I had no idea what was going to happen seeing as we had never had one such similar occurrence in the past, but…"

"Umm…what changes?"

Azumi stared at him for a few moments where she realized he truly had no idea of what had happened to him. She fished for the appropriate words. "Well, last night, when you were down in the basement, your proximity to the sword triggered a reaction that was totally unexpected. I have no idea who your parents are but it is clear that you are without a doubt a Shiraiyuki. Your body changed in order to become a better support to your newly found chakra and…"

"How much did I change, Azumi-Neechan?" He asked plainly and so she summarized as best as she could.

"Your hair, your eyes and your skin, Naruto…they've all changed to look like my family's."

Naruto ducked his head and a shadow shrouded the upper part of his face as he spoke in a low voice. "Show me…"

"Naruto, I think you should calm down first…" Azumi glanced warily about the room, noticing the minute shifting of the ice about them.

"Show me…" Naruto was starting to become agitated.

"Naruto, wait…"

"No! Show me, now!" Naruto closed his eyes tightly and screamed, the ice all around them jutting up suddenly in spires all around them.

"Ok!" She shouted, extending her arms swiftly to halt the ice's dangerous procession and return it to its former position. Azumi then inhaled slowly and exhaled lengthily, small shards of ice formed from her breath accumulating before her into a reflective surface to form a small mirror which she then moved closer to the nerve-wrecked teen. "Take a look, Naruto."

When Naruto peered into the mirror before him and caught sight of the person staring him in the face, all form of logic left his mind as he laughed lifelessly in denial at the image shown to him.

"No…"

* * *

_-Village Leader's Home-_

Now arriving to his home in the cliffs Yukio removed his cloak, handing them to the head housekeeper as he moved bedroom-bound. Before he headed in however, there was something to be confirmed.

"Has Azumi returned home?"

As if startled by the question the housekeeper shuffled the article of clothing in arms nervously before inching closer. "I-I'm sorry Yukio-Sama, but I have yet to hear from Azumi for the morning. Maybe she is still in bed?"

Looking back at the hunched over man briefly Yukio changed directions and headed towards his daughter's room. Knocking twice, he opened the door part way to come upon the figure of someone immersed fully under the bed covers, the only parts of the body to be seen being the full head of white hair protruding from the top. After seeking out her signature and feeling satisfied he would have left it at that…

But the anxious behavior of the housekeeper standing a few feet behind him led him to believe otherwise.

Yukio strode lightly but purposefully into the room, moving without detour straight towards the mattress where he drew the sheets backwards forcefully.

Staring back at him with a tearful expression was the face of one of his maids, a paper talisman clutched within her grip filled with Azumi's chakra to be used to the transformation and to fool his senses. He turned away from the sight…

He would not punish her, nor would he punish the others for caring so deeply for their master. No…they needed not be punished for something that was not of their doing. "Relay this message to the guard outside." He began, the housekeeper outside the bedroom door nodding in compliance as he listened carefully for the message. "All active Shinobi on duty are to be vigilant for Shiraiyuki Azumi. She is to be captured on sight and taken to the level 5 ANBU detention center to be kept for an indefinite period of time. I am then to be informed of her capture afterwards."

Gasps were abound as all eyes centered on the regal leader and the now official bearer-of-the-message could only shake in trepidation as he bowed and turned to go deliver the message with haste. Before he could move far however, Yukio had a change of heart.

"Hold on…"

The trembling man halted immediately. "Sir?"

"You may hold off on relaying the message till later this evening…" Yukio informed him, sparing one last look at the still transformed maid lying between the sheets of his daughter's bed before exiting the room. "…seeing as these may be her final moments of freedom after all."

* * *

_-Elsewhere, En Route to Fire Country- _

A horn sounded loudly in the darkness signifying their arrival after a long journey, the passenger all rushing onto the deck to take in the vision of the approaching lights with anticipation.

This went double for three of the passengers in particular.

"Finally…" Sasuke murmured from his spot against the wall in the entryway to the living quarters, 2 haversacks on the ground beside him.

"We're home…" Sakura finished for him as she pulled up beside the stoic Uchiha with her own backpack.

"Not yet." Leaning against the wall in a manner similar to his charge Kakashi closed his book, tucked it away in his pouch and stepped forward, picking up one of the packs beside Sasuke. "Let's move. We should be able to make it back to Konoha within a few hours."

The three ran out onto the deck and over the side of the ship to get a jump start on making it to the checkpoint before the crowd.

There was no time to be wasted…

* * *

**A/N: Hmmm…nothing to say this time really.**

**Like always, I want to thank you all for taking the time out to read. I look forward to receiving your reviews.**

**Andoryu-sama**


	6. Dire Straits

**The Encroaching Frost**

By: _Andoryu-sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Special Thanks to HolyKnight5 for all his support!

**Chapter 6: Dire Straits…**

* * *

Genkei slowly made his way through the meandering halls of the administration building, wandering arbitrarily throughout the vast complex for some time before eventually exiting through the back entrance and crossing over into the hospital.

"_Come to my office after hours Master Genkei and I would be happy to divulge to you his secrets, and if I am not there, feel free to carry out an investigation of your own; the file's in the top drawer."_

They were the words she said to him quite carelessly after she irresponsibly told him she would "spill Yukio's beans" and so he followed her instructions afterwards to the 'T', ensuring the absence of undue risk as he made his way towards his goal. When asked for a reason though, she replied, quite strangely at that, that she "rather liked not being enveloped within family affairs other than her own." It was from that, however, that he had come to understand why it was that Yukio's arrogance seemed to risen beyond the norm that morn.

Now that he knew what it was that Yukio was hiding though, he could not say that he was pleased with the way it was handled, especially before the council and him, not to mention their not-so-dire situation with birthrights within the clan.

Yukio, who was not quite as old as he was but was still well into his midyears, was nearing the point at which it was mandatory of him to designate and groom the successor to the village. Azumi, who was to be the next and only logical choice had more than outright refused the heritage by becoming a successor to the medical arts, and with her refusal, the future of the village fell into the lap of his only son, Toushiro.

But Toushiro could not become the successor for several reasons.

For one he was too incomprehensive – he was born and bred to be a Kenjutsu master and it was all he knew. He had not the skills to become a well-balanced leader. Secondly, his becoming the leader of Snow would take away from his duties within their Dojo for which he was sorely needed, as he was to take over in his stead once Genkei's time was over.

Lastly, the young man had not the initiative or the drive to want the position as leader. The boy was almost sloth-like in almost everything he did except for swordplay – something that both pleased and irked him to no end, and many felt that he would only treat the village's welfare with the same enthusiasm.

It wasn't to say that there were not others outside the family who were not suited to become the leader however; the list of those currently and joining the rank of the elite was indeed quite extensive, but there would never be one amongst those who would ever possess the same potential to wield their element at the same level as one hailing from the direct descendents.

So it was to that effect that the present leader, should they not be able to cultivate a suitable heir directly descending from the Shiraiyuki, will remain in the seat for as long as they are able to until an heir to the seat is found.

Finding the door to the chief medic's room unlocked he opened it slowly, checking naturally for any precarious presences before slipping silently inside, closing the door soundlessly behind him. He approached the desk, finding the documents she referred to laid out before him just as she had said and he flipped through them meticulously, since, more than just knowing, he needed to understand fully the situation about him to plan accordingly. The aged Shinobi's eyes gradually widened as the truth was slowly revealed with each written word but he was far from surprised, however.

Because for Yukio to go to such lengths to insist that the boy is indeed of use to them, a radical and substantial claim to support him had been needed.

And what a claim it was; to say that there were others outside of Shimogakure, hell, Yukiguni with the abilities of those of the Shiraiyuki? Such a notion would leave the elders reeling in distress.

"_Not to mention this report states nothing of the child's parents, just that he is one of us. If this is to be his driving point, it is hardly convincing…"_ He thought, closing the folder. It had been a waste going there but at least he knew what to expect, and before Yukio decided to reveal this boy's nature to the others he would demand that the truth be known to him first.

It would have to be the least he could do if he wanted to keep this secret of his from reaching the ears of the elders.

* * *

_-Elsewhere, in Hi no Kuni-_

The Genin cell of three raced vehemently along the trail connecting the Port City with their home, trying to complete a full day's worth of travelling within only a few hours of constant sprinting. It was quite a brutal test of endurance – something Kakashi had no doubt that Gai and his equally…_exuberant_ 'mini-me' would enjoy thoroughly – but his team was not one that was built for the grueling effort involved and so their journey was filled with many unwanted breaks.

"K…Kakashi-sensei…I can't…"

He could hear Sakura wheezing quite terribly behind him for the tenth time within the past three hours and he sighed, raising his hand and signaling for his team to slow to a stop in which Sakura took the chance to immediately collapse onto her knees.

"Sakura, don't slouch…It'll only restrict your air intake." Kakashi warned, glancing around to get a sense of the time remaining at their current pace. Not hearing an affirmative from the girl however, the copy-nin turned his gaze upon his two fledglings, finding that the two had found a dried up old stump for Sakura to rest on, with her ever stoic companion sitting directly behind her, acting as a support for her exhausted self to lean back on, never minding the fact that he himself was most likely also on the brink of shutting down.

"Sasuke-kun…you don't…have to do this…" Sakura breathed to her partner as she extended her arms backwards, panting heavily all the while.

"I don't like…being indebted to people." He muttered, linking his arms with hers.

"But Sasuke—Ahhhnnn!!"

The boy perked and flushed slightly, her protest being cut short by a moan of relief (which sounded strangely more like one of pleasure) when he effectively stretched her out by bending forward.

"Ahhnnn…Sasuke-kun! No more!" Sakura groaned out (in pleasure or in pain Sasuke still didn't know) and he snapped out of his reverie, easing her back into an upright posture. It wasn't long before that, however, that the pink-haired Genin begun to imitate his actions and was bending forward, only to meet the immovable, iron-clad resistance that was _the_ Uchiha.

"Come…on…Sasuke…" Sakura groaned as she struggled to bend the unrelenting Uchiha, clamping her arms onto his with a vice-like grip when he tried to wriggle free. "Let…me…stretch you too!"

"No…! I…don't…want you to!"

"Come on!"

"No, damn-it!"

Sakura paused. "Ahhhnnn!"

Sasuke faltered.

"Gyaahhhh!!"

"_That works…" _Kakashi thought offhandedly, closing his book before approaching the two. "As amusing as it is to see you two in the middle of your skinship, it's about time we got going."

"Ok, Sensei!!" Sakura chirped before smiling brightly at her fallen comrade. She was still tired but was feeling much better after the stretch. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn…"

Kakashi cast a hidden smile down on the writhing Sasuke. "How're you feeling?"

"How does it _look_ like I'm feeling?" Sasuke seethed back, sending a withering glare at his sensei who was clearly amused and unaffected.

"Good, it's a lesson to be learnt. Now let's go, we've only got a few more miles to go."

----

_-Tsunade's Residence, Konoha-_

She sighed deeply yet softly, letting her almond hues roam the expanse of her darkened ceiling a few times over before rising slowly to meet her elevated knee with a hug, her long, thin, blond hair rising just as listlessly as she was to greet her back. She just sat there for some time listening passively to the many sounds permeating through her walls and windows from the surrounding foliage; the high-pitched chirps and croaks of the fauna and the faint rustling of the flora in the night breeze though being one of the most perfect lullabies nature had to offer could not induce sleep into the wide awake blonde.

And it was bad for her too seeing as she was one of the few people in the world who had a job where there was truly no time off – she needed all the sleep she could get.

"_It's probably just one of 'those nights'." _She reasoned, not even bothering to entertain the fact that she had said the same thing the night before, the one before that, and even still another before that. Five days straight had she been plagued by an unsuspecting bout of insomnia and for the life of her she could not find a medical justification for her illness. Despite her never ending schedule, the blonde _Hokage_ always ate regularly and healthily (despite her sometimes over indulgence on her favorite rice wine), she always found time to exercise daily, not to mention that she always got the required number of hours for rest thanks to all those naps in between all her sessions.

Although, now that she thought about it clearly, she had been having a fairly light week in terms of work load. On top of that, she had been getting more and more reports of successful missions from all of the teams she sent, including one regarding a _Chūnin_ team who apparently did such a good job that the village had been rewarded with enough money to run the Genin Academy for almost a full term.

Had all of those occurrences been Lady Luck trying move in on her?

Feeling quite bored and having nothing to do at that moment, she stood to full height, lighting a candle on her bureau before moving over to stand before her full length mirror. In the warm glow of the candle light her striking body glistened magnificently, her obnoxiously large breasts jutting out awesomely from her chest to leave the front of her transparent camisole unnecessarily airy, allowing the cold of the night to mercilessly attack body. Her slim waist then widened into full, shapely, thong-clad hips to give her an equally full and firm backside (that she just had to resist slapping by the way), before thinning back into those gorgeous, long, and always deliciously smooth appendages that hung from her body.

With a playful smile on, she placed a hand on her hip before leaning on it and giving her hair a flip. "That's right bitch, I'm _way_ too sexy to swing that way so you can take your luck elsewhere." She sassed before taking a much closer look at her face and eyes. _"It's a damn good thing this Genjutsu's on, else I'd be scary enough to have Jiraiya's luck with women…"_ (Which was actually pretty good but she didn't know that)

Joking aside though, if it had all been instances of full blown luck on her side, then going with past happenings she should be expecting something bad to happen soon, and since she'd been having such a swell week so far as it was, she could expect whatever it is to be pretty darn foul. Maybe the insomnia was her body's way of letting her know something was wrong with the universe.

And as if she had spoke too soon, the universe decided to send deposit another one, this time directly onto her windowsill.

"Ah you're up, Tsunade-sama. Look, there's something I need to discuss with you that—Gyuh!" The silver-haired elite hadn't even gotten to the crux of the problem before he was on the receiving end of a thrown chair, sending the man flying out the window and onto the ground with a 'poof', a log now lying where a broken man and various pieces of scattered furniture lay.

From the tree standing a good ways from her home Kakashi stared down at the split log with a subdued expression. "Err…that was quite…_unnecessary_, wasn't it?

"Not as _unnecessary_ as what I'm going to do to you when you come within reach, you one-eyed pervert!" A bright red Tsunade wrapped up in a makeshift bed-sheet-made toga yelled, pointing as she locked her blazing eyes onto one of her most capable Jōnin. "What the hell took you so long to return, where are the brats, and more importantly, h-how long were you standing there?!"

Picking the question "Not that I'd want them to miss out on _this_…" He began, giving Tsunade another once over and dodging a lit candle in return before continuing. "…but I sent them home. We had to pretty much rush the rest of the way here. I have something important to tell you."

She slipped on the robe, flipping her hair so that it wouldn't be trapped on the inside. "If you sent them home then it can't be that important. See me tomorrow before I assign you your mission."

Kakashi stepped down into her room. "I'm afraid that it can't—"

"Listen Kakashi…" She turned and advanced towards him. "I haven't been able to sleep for the majority of this past week so unless all of Tsuchi no Kuni is barking up our asses…_I don't want to see you." _She warned, poking him with a neatly manicured finger for every word she emphasized. However, before she could give him the final push that would send him flying out her window, the man said something to her that made her pause briefly.

"Naruto's in trouble."

Unflinchingly, Tsunade brushed off the remark. "What did the little moron do now? I mean not even two seconds into returning home and he's already pissing someone off? Shit, my record was 5 minutes…tops."

"Hokage-sama, he's not here, in the village. He's still in Yuki no Kuni."

"Wait, what?!"

She rounded on him so fast that he thought her head did a full 360 before her body spun to match the direction it was facing. Shit, she was plenty scary enough already without him seeing things. "W-Well you see, Tsunade-sama, there's actually a very good reason for that."

That little moment of weakness was all it took for Tsunade to close the distance between them instantly, grabbing hold of a place an experienced pervert would never leave unprotected in her presence with a non-too-gentle grip. "Well let's hear it. I've already got one reason to end your bloodline filed away for future reference so don't give me another one. Oh, and just so you know, I'm no good with even numbers." She warned before her eyes took on a certain hint of darkness to them. _"_They always seem to make me_…twitchy."_

Kakashi did the only thing any self-respecting man in his position could do — he sang.

* * *

_-Hospital Room in Shimo, Yukiguni-_

"'_As long as nothing changes…'"_

Cold and dark the corner was but he was there, sitting quietly with his forehead resting on folded arms and his body being embraced loosely by the ice that no longer felt so chillingly cold touch as he whispered continuously to himself. With his mind no longer fully contained within a stupefied shock he began to move about with some semblance of inner life. He knew nothing of the time of day it was, only that the once white room had gradually been morphed into a dark remnant of its former self signifying the setting of the sun. He knew not even how he found himself to the corner of the room, his last coherent memory being of him lying on the bed.

His head lolled to the side, catching sight of a tray of food laid nearby. It was most likely Azumi's doing he deduced, his spirits lightening at the thought of her kindness. However, just by looking at it he could tell that it had long since gone cold, signifying that it had also been a while since she last came to see him.

"'…_I should be fine', was it? Why…why does everything seem to just go wrong? Why did this have to happen?"_ He outstretched his hand and a gleaming wall of ice appeared before him seemingly knowing exactly what it was he wanted. It mattered not that it was dark to him for he could see as clearly as he needed to thanks to his now dimly glowing ice-blue eyes, the dull hues staring right back at him with that blank expression he so hated. His hair, no longer a sunny blonde resembled the very snow he walked on to get there and his skin was a now a few shades lighter, lacking the tanned warmth it once possessed.

Who was that? He didn't know that person…

How_…Why_ had he changed?

"_Kyūbi…"_

"_Kyūbi…Kyūbi…Kyūbi…"_

The name, so easy it was to call…so easy it was to deposit all his worries and more than a decade's worth of blame onto…

But this time there would be no comfort from the accusation, not when the fox had explicitly stated its intentions of withdrawing from his life. And even if the fox had been merely lying as a part of some elaborate plot, he would have known the moment it started to move. Its chakra, so vastly different from his in so many ways made him more conscious of it than anything else that went on inside his body.

With that said, he could tell that it had not made even so much as a peep ever since the previous night and that was what scared him.

"_Monster…"_

He could no longer justify the strange happenings of his body.

"_You wretched beast…don't you dare glare at me!"_

He no longer…had any excuses.

"_You…damned…DEMON!!"_

He cringed inwardly and clutched at his chest as the memories pressed onto his soul with the weight of a massive anvil. And then he realized that nothing had changed from all those years ago. That even though he met the Sandaime, his team and got some recognition during the exams, things would never change for he would always be alone; there would be not one soul that would be able to understand what he went through…

What he was _still _going through…

Azumi left because she didn't understand…

Kyūbi…it never understood in the first place…

He was tired of struggling, tired of chasing meaningful relationships with other people; it no longer made any sense for him to do so.

He just wanted a break.

He just wanted to be left alone…

In compliance with his wishes the ice grew beneath him, raising his body a few feet from the floor before conforming to form a prism, encasing the prone Naruto and separating him from the outside world completely.

----

"_It's cold…"_ She breathed after being hit with a blast of cold air that rushed outwards after she managed to get the door open with a few effortful jerks, the ice laden rail the door sat upon being the culprit. _"That girl…she could have at least given me a warning."_ With the lights off and the curtain pulled fully across the only window the room was immersed in darkness, so she reached out to the wall beside her with a chakra coated hand, feeling for the seal that activated the artificial light sources spread about the room.

"_NO!"_

A wave of ill intent washed over her body and she faltered, pulling away as she glanced towards the direction the uneasy feeling came. She could hardly see anything but she ventured forward regardless, trained blue eyes searching the darkness for anything resembling human life. That is, until she wandered into the far corner of the room and found the giant crystal and its wound up, solemn person inside.

"Is this him?" She said out of the blue, naturally assuming the person to be who it was she was sent to approach. Reaching the giant crystal she reached out with her hand and touched its surface, the ice's coldness eliciting an uneasy feeling from the woman. "I see you're still somewhat here…in a sense." She tapped lightly on the ice's surface. "Can you hear me in there?"

There was no response of any form. He was like a sitting corpse just staring languidly into an undefined space. But… _"I want you to help him Kaasan, please. I may not be able to, anymore."_ …in the way that Azumi seemed to be quite taken with him, she hoped the feeling was undoubtedly mutual. "Azumi sent me, Naruto."

He shifted…he was listening.

"In fact, she was the one who insisted that I address you so informally; said that addressing you any other way made you quite irritable." She continued with a soft laugh, hoping that with her continued mentioning of the girl would draw him back slowly to reality.

"Tell me, what do you think about Azumi?"

Hope filled her as she saw him shift his glance slowly towards her and gradually part his lips as if to respond to her prodding.

"I…" Thinking back to all he had been through, he said the only thing that could properly generalize the woman. "…think that she's a nice person."

"Is that all…don't you think that she's a monster as well?"

His eyes widened at the question and suddenly he was filled with much vigor. "W-Why would I—?!"

"But she is the same as you is she not?" She asked him evenly, not really expecting an answer from the confused child. "Azumi came back to see me after she brought you your dinner you know. She was so excited when she spoke of you, of your recent change and the thought of you sharing more than just a friendship…" She trailed off, turning to walk away briefly before regarding him from over her shoulder. "But to think that this is what you thought of her. She wouldn't show it, but if I told her, she would be quite overcome with sadness."

"How would you know?" Naruto grumbled but not so inaudibly that she wouldn't understand and she turned to face him once more, hitting him with a fact that pierced him like none other.

"Because I'm her mother, and mothers know their children best."

Naruto turned and frowned. "I wouldn't know; I've never had one…I've never had—"

"—Anyone?" She finished for him but he said nothing. "You are never truly alone Naruto; your lives, your experiences and even the people you meet may be different, but even the most miniscule of similarities will be enough to bridge the gap between any two people, and all it takes to find those similarities is one, little, conversation. We'll never understand what you went through since we particularly don't read minds, but I can try to, Azumi can try to, if you'd just let us."

He hadn't said he was alone but somehow the words touched him, his eyes widening slightly at those words causing moisture accumulating to re-wet the drying-out surfaces.

"As long as you are here, Naruto…we'll never let you be alone."

He blinked. His cheek was wet. He dabbed at the wetness with his cold fingers, stunned at the realization that he had been crying.

How long had it been since he had last cried?

"_Too long…" _He figured, unconsciously relishing in the weightlessness he was now experiencing.

"You're a smart person, Naruto. You just need to learn to move past what's…" she poked him in his abdomen "…in here and believe in…" she pressed her palm lightly against his chest, "…what's in here more."

It took him a moment, but when he caught himself he jumped back as if he had been burned.

"Azumi told me, of course." She said, answering the unasked question. "She doesn't know what the red chakra within you is in particular, but she knows it's something unnatural and dangerous. She thinks it is why you fear letting it be revealed."

Naruto nervousness gradually began to surface as the conversation drew on. He was careful, especially careful, to not let his anger get out of hand. He knew he was. There was no way that Azumi could have ever found out about Kyūbi's chakra. As he struggled to replay the memories of every waking moment he had with Azumi, this lady before him soon begun to tap-dance wrongly in an area of his life that now proved, without fail, to set off a rather short fuse in him.

"You fear this…thing, and let it steadily control your life but it shouldn't be so. As long as it remains a part of _you_ and as long as you have the _will_, then there is nothing in this world that could stop you from doing with it what you will." Glancing downwards, she gripped the small lump of flesh beneath her left shoulder tightly before continuing, a pained expression on her features. "You—"

"Shut up."

Her eyes widened in shock at his tone and she returned her gaze upwards only to meet a dark, overshadowed look over his former innocence.

"Ero-sennin once told me something similar, y'know. He said that if I learned how to control this thing inside me that my strength would raise exponentially, but you have _no idea_ of how scary this thing is, of how much it _scares me. _This _thing_ came to our village a long time ago and killed so many people…left so many families _broken._" Two people; a man and a woman with blurred facial features – his supposed parents, visions of his encounter with Mizuki and Iruka in Konoha's backwoods, and the withering stares from the villagers flashed before his eyes. "…and even our Yondaime died y'know and he was said to be the best! So if I had to choose between even looking at this _thing_ and dying, I'D RATHER DIE!!"

The woman flinched at his astonishing confession, realizing from his words that whatever it was inside him was more than just a source. And then it hit her…she had heard of something like this before in her home country. The sealing of massive beasts within human containers as a means to harness their incredible strength…

"You…you're a—wait, where are you going?!"

"I'm going to see Yukio. This is all his fault, right? I'm going to get him to change me back to how I was." He said, barely managing a backwards glance towards the person who was able to renew his resolve. "Good-bye…Azumi's Kaasan."

He turned fully to make his exit, leaving the trembling female behind to reflect on her actions. She had danced on a floor that had been eroding away for years and it crumbled under her weight, releasing whatever was building up beneath it. However, it did not come without gain. It allowed the boy to finally shed some thought for his own situation.

"_But at what cost?"_ Where was that going to leave Azumi? The boy was now more determined than ever to go home and she hadn't even gotten to the real reason why she had decided to confront him on Azumi's behalf. Releasing a hefty sigh the violet-haired woman gave the room another once over as the light from the open door made its way inside. The ice acted as a series of mirrors, reflecting the light repeatedly inside the room and illuminating it quite clearly. The whole room had been coated in a thick layer of ice with tiny prisms of ice congregating in several places along the floor. What caught her attention, though, was the large prism the boy had been in as each of its sides had bent and unfolded completely, a single glistening flower blooming in the barren expanse.

It wasn't enough to rid her of the dreaded feeling she got from merely standing there as the throbbing in arm returned with a vengeance and so she turned, making her way towards the door before giving the room one, final look.

"_God, I hate ice…"_

* * *

_-Konoha, Tsunade's Residence-_

In the middle of his report Tsunade had released her hostages to find a more comfortable seating arrangement to listen out the entire tale, all the while keeping an eye on that soon-to-be-smushed roaming eyeball of his. She got the gist of what happened though, and now that silence had fallen upon them it was only a matter of time he suggested that…

"Tsuna–no, Hokage-sama, I would like to request a team of experienced Jōnin to pursue further. I can track them on my own but since I don't know how many or how skilled the enemy is I…" A raised hand from the aged female brought him to a halt.

"Considering the situation we're in I can't allow you to leave again Kakashi. You've been expected back for some time now and I already have a few 'S' ranked missions lined up for you. Add to that you're exhausted; what do you suppose that you'll be able to do in that condition?"

"I can rest on the boat ride back. Naruto's my–"

"No, he's not." She cut him off, predicting his train of thought. "Your _responsibility_, as Jōnin, is to your village. I will take over all matters concerning Naruto's retrieval so your orders henceforth are to return to your dwellings, unwind, and report for a mission briefing at noon tomorrow. Tardiness will not be tolerated. Is that clear?"

Through his one visible eye she could see the urge to rebel and retort welling inside him – or at least that was what she hoped it was, for his sake – but if there was one thing she could say she liked about Kakashi it was that he knew his worth as a Shinobi.

And if he dare forgot, she would simply remind him with a well placed finger to the brow. He was simply too skilled to be up and down behind one wayward child, no matter how important/potentially-dangerous-in-the-wrong-hands that particular child may be. So despite his burning desire to leap out the window and gather his own mates, he simply bowed and acknowledged her orders before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"_Now if only he could show that same manner of appreciation to the rest of his job…"_ She thought fleetingly, sighing as she hoped and prayed that he wouldn't be late on the subsequent morning. Turning in her chair she faced her desk, opening the top drawer where she kept a copy of all her available Nin before picking out a couple from the ANBU division and one from their Hunter sub-division. She was about to close the drawer when another section caught her eye and after mulling the thought over a few times in her head, she agreed that it would be a good decision. "Having Naruto see a familiar face wouldn't hurt, but man…dealing with this one can be, in some ways, nearly as painful as having to deal with that one-eyed pervert. Let's just hope there's not much hassle." She surmised exhaustedly, reaching into the drawer below to pull out some blank sheets on which she could write some formal to send to the ones chosen.

"Hmm? Who's as troublesome as me?"

Resisting the urge to flinch in surprise (and pound him into oblivion – she needed him for a mission and couldn't hurt him) she gripped the sides of her desk painfully before jumping up and jabbing a finger in his direction just shy of his face.

"You…! Why are you still here?!"

Leaning just out of reach Kakashi had his hands up and splayed before him in defense. "I thought you might need someone to deliver those messages for you."

"You wanted to know who's going…" She sighed, taking her seat again. "Well, it's no secret so take a look." Surrendering her choices to him she watched as he mulled over them with a critical eye, grunted his approval somewhat, before turning to her final choice.

"Him?"

"Yes, him." She replied offhandedly. "Do you know how hard it is to find a mission that he wouldn't spend half-a-day whining about before leaving? I figure he'd at least be interested in this one, and he could get some experience at the same time. Two birds…"

"Hmmm…Okay."

"Okay?" She parroted, a bit skeptical. "Is that all you have to say?"

"Well, sticking him with special-ops may irk them a bit but I don't think it's a bad idea. Who knows, it might change his whole perspective of things once he sees them operate."

Tsunade sighed. She didn't want to get her hopes up when it came to that one.

After proofreading them a few more times she applied her seal of authenticity before folding them up and handing them over to Kakashi. Before he left though, there was still something bugging her that she wanted to address pronto.

"Err, Kakashi…" She fidgeted nervously. "During the mission, when the princess didn't want to leave Fire Country at first, you said you used some kind of jutsu to put her to sleep. What was it exactly?"

"Hmm?" He had to stop and think for a moment. "Ah, it's a little trick I picked up after a mission when I forgot to cover up my Sharingan and stared at this guy too long. I won't tell you what happened, but after that it caused me to re-evaluate the actual workings of the Sharingan. Long story short, I found out how to induce hypnosis using the eye."

"Oh? Interesting…" She thought, before remembering what he said. "Wait, is this thing dangerous?"

"No, no…"

"Then why can't you tell me what happened on your mission?"

"I don't think you would fancy that kind of information at the moment." Kakashi said nervously.

"If you're going to be using this thing on me, then I think I have a right to know what went down."

Kakashi did a double take. "Wait, I'm gonna' be using this on you?"

"Just tell me what happened!"

Kakashi sighed deeply, averting his eyes from Tsunade's inquisitive ones. "Fine…He said he was starting to feel funny and that he suddenly had a huge urge to read some Icha Icha."

"…"

Bathed in silence the two simply stared at each other for a few moments, one trying doubly hard to avoid the gaze of the other. Tsunade, still confused, tried to make sense of what happened.

"Wha-?"

"I was thinking of Icha Icha…"

"Then…"

"I somehow projected my thoughts, and desires, onto him with my Sharingan…"

Disgusted into silence for a moment she responded in kind. "You're right…I shouldn't have asked."

"But why am I using this on you again? I think I missed that part…"

Tsunade sighed. "I haven't been able to sleep lately so I was looking for a quick fix."

"Ah, I see…" He trailed off sagely before clasping his hands together like an eager merchant and giving a smile that made Tsunade shiver. "Well, you've come to the right place!"

Having very little choice but to leave her delicate, maiden's body in his nefarious clutches she relented, sending him a withering glare and a bark to turn around while she took off her makeshift toga and hopped in her futon. "Don't send me any of your weird thoughts, pervert."

Kakashi smiled. "Your current…attire isn't helping, you know."

"Damn-it Kakashi, I can't help it if I get warm while I sleep! If it's going to be such a problem then close your eyes!"

"If I do that, how am I supposed to hypnotize you?"

"I don't care, just do it!"

Kakashi sweat-dropped. "You're being unreasonable."

"Fine…" She yielded. "But so help me God Kakashi, if I start thinking of groping myself I'm gonna'…"

"Yes, yes…end my bloodline you will…" Kakashi laughed silently to himself before finally putting the exhausted Hokage to sleep.

* * *

_-Somewhere In Shimo-_

It felt like she was sitting in an alternate reality.

The room was disturbingly empty, free from anything that should serve as a well-appreciated distraction from the silence – even the most miniscule of particles had been removed from the room in an attempt to keep it barren. There were no distinctions between the room's boundaries and it seemed to stretch on forever in every direction, making it so easy to lose one's sense of direction and balance, sending their minds into a spiraling frenzy. And it mattered not if it were a Genjutsu, for in such a nauseated state, one was simply too disoriented to complete a series of complex thoughts and actions to alleviate their misfortune.

And even then the room seemed to be under constant surveillance; enabling the captors to simply re-engage the Genjutsu should it be broken free of.

The _White Room_…

Azumi had heard rumors of this room, of its level of efficiency and effectiveness but to experience it…it was nothing short of stepping right off the edge of the earth.

"_To think he would go to such lengths…" _She thought somewhat disbelievingly. Still, she supposed it was not the worst thing that could have happened to her (the room was just shy of outright torture and interrogation) but it was something she would rather avoid in the future should she be able to help it.

Trying to minimize her movements as much as possible she tried to settle into the most comfortable position possible to organize her swirling thoughts.

Had her mother been successful? Had Naruto been calmed to the point of regaining rational thought?

She hoped so.

He had…worried her when he could no longer handle the gravity of the situation that was his transformation, and as with the complications with their bloodline he could have proved to be a threat to all those who ventured near in his panic-induced state, even more so since he had no training in controlling his bloodline.

Azumi took that moment to take a deep breath as she felt the bile rise in her throat from the nausea before continuing with her line of thought.

It was a surprise though. The last thing she had ever expected when meeting the teen was that he would share with her a blood relation. It was an unprecedented event, not only for those who share the same line as they, but for the village as well. There was now potential for a new heir to be bred, a dilemma that she had no intentions of relieving should one not had been found.

However, Naruto's reaction to his new found heritage confused her.

To show such an adverse reaction to his changes… was he that appalled with the idea of having their bloodline? _"But…he had been so…happy when he was under the assumption that we shared similarities between us." _She thought, furrowing her brow. It was with that thought that she also assumed that he would have been quite pleased with his new abilities. But it wasn't so, and he had been anything but pleased when he had lashed out at her with his emotions.

"_He was never of this village to begin with so it may have been absurd to expect…"_

Wait…

How could she have forgotten? The only thing he had wanted thus far was to be able to return home which had ultimately ended in her trying to aid him in his it be, then, that his sudden change in appearance is a hindrance in his goal of returning home? The more she thought about it, the more she saw his logic. Not only had his appearance changed drastically, but with the awakening of his bloodline, his chakra signature had also been altered. There would be no way to identify him based on those traits alone.

But when exactly had her thoughts migrated from those of simply rescuing him from her father's grip? No, more importantly than that, just when had her thoughts been predominantly occupied by him? Over the short time he had been in her supposed care she had learnt so many things and regained so many feelings her body thought to be long forgotten. It was only after he came here that she had finally, after so long, been able to put her mind at ease about Koyuki, even though he could have been lying to her just as easily.

In fact, had he not been there, would she ever have had the courage to stand against her father for her own beliefs?

She once thought that the only reason the two of them had for being together was because of their common ground in the form of Koyuki, but it was so no longer. Their relationship had evolved to the point where the one each shared with their mutual friend had taken a backseat to the one developing before them, and she grown dependent upon it, no longer being able to conjure thoughts of her returning to a life of stale monotony. Her thoughts, in turn, soon began to take a dangerous turn.

"_The reason for his rejection of his changes was not because of the bloodline, but because he would not be able to go home otherwise. So, should that factor be removed he would no longer have a reason to…"_

Wait…what?

"You brought this upon yourself, Azumi."

Recovering from the shock of her own thoughts she tuned into the voice echoing about her, sending a response. "Your assignment to me was to care for him, was it not? I have not done anything in which such an arrest would be warranted."

"Indeed…" He agreed without hesitation. "However, as things begin to progress it was decided that you be detained in order to prevent you from further…_influencing _any future decisions of his."

"_This is about me being a deterrent? Somehow I find that difficult to believe…" _She thought skeptically from her position on the floor.

"You should use this time wisely to carefully rethink your stance."

"_Oh, I see…" _It was clear now. Because she had repeatedly disregarded his wishes time and time again she had been given an ultimatum. "For something that requires much deep thought on my part, I find it quite difficult to do so in this room. May I request a different room, preferably one without spinning walls?"

Because of her predicament she couldn't tell, but she knew he was quite annoyed.

"You can manage…you wouldn't be my daughter otherwise."

Now, Azumi didn't exactly know what to make of that threat of disownment. He was never one for joking (not surprising really given the nature of their line) and she was beginning to think that maybe she had pressed luck too far. She had nothing but the village and her relations within it and while disownment was, at the moment, an agreeable punishment, if he went to the extreme (which he was rather fond of doing) and exiled her, it would prove to be quite disadvantageous turn of events, and while there was the possibility of meeting and staying with Koyuki, there was no guarantee that she would even be remembered by her friend of old.

She could hear his voice no longer which meant the beginning of her slow torture within the unnerving room and she sighed, wishing things had not escalated so far. She was of no use to Naruto within the confines of the ANBU compound.

She wanted to leave…

She wanted to see him…

She wanted to talk to him…

She was worried for his condition…

But despite all that she couldn't give in to her father's whims. A solution was needed and quickly, before the point in time where it wouldn't matter approached her.

"_This feeling I am experiencing now…" _She thought wearily. _"I am not too fond of it."_

* * *

"Yukio-ojisan!"

In the middle of his preparations to leave his post for the night Yukio glanced up from his documents, beholding the sight of the heavily panting boy before him and the secretary behind him.

"I apologize, Yukio-sama, but he insisted on seeing you. Shall I forcibly escort him back out?"

Startled, Naruto hurriedly turned to face her, reflexively bracing himself for an assault of any kind. Her intent had been masked perfectly underneath her apathetic visage and as the seconds ticked on she appeared to be growing ominously in size, her studious figure soon looming heavily over his much, much smaller one. Gripping folders in her left, she reached down slowly with a massive palm in an apparent move to grab him and he flinched, closing his eyes as he prepared for the worst.

"No need. Please retire for the night, Inoue; you've done enough for the day."

And just like a gentle breeze passing through a light fog, the heavy atmosphere around Naruto was lifted suddenly and he opened his eyes to the sight of a completely normal Inoue.

"Very well then…"

Without sparing the boy a second glance she bowed and left swiftly, effectively leaving the room in a morbid silence.

"Sit wherever fancies you most." The always composed leader broke the silence, gesturing towards some of the several seating arrangements strewn about the large room but Naruto didn't move, opting to stand and face his seated form squarely.

"I want you to change me back." Naruto said frankly, causing the normally featureless face of the man before him to take up a look of confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My face, my hair, my chakra…I want you to change them back!"

Closing a file he had not too long ago finished up, Yukio moved on to another without so much as looking up. "There is no need to do something so unnecessary. This is who you are; you cannot be changed back to something you never were."

"Well I'm asking you to do it anyway! You can't expect me to return home like this, do you? No one would know who I am anymore!"

"There are other means of identifying a body. If they reject your identity based on your outward features alone, then you were not meant to be there in the first place." He said nonchalantly, having no intentions of telling him that he was not going to be returned to Konoha now that he was proven to posses their blood.

"Well it's not your decision to make, damn-it! This is all your fault that I ended up like this in the first place, so fucking change me back!"

"What exactly is it about our bloodline that appalls you so?"

"N-Nothing, but…!"

"Does the mere notion of settling down in such frigid conditions deter you?"

"N-No, that has nothing to do with it!"

"Then there is no reason to return you to your false identity. You are Shiraiyuki and quite frankly, now that I know what you truly are I am finding it immensely difficult to simply let you leave and return to a place where the blood within you would putrefy."

"I can't believe you're doing this to me just because I happened to pick up your abilities…"

"This can hardly be compared to picking up a wary coin, boy. This gift of ours can only be received through birth."

It took him a moment, but when he understood, his mind reeled at the thought. "Wait, what…?"

"Shiraiyuki Yukika, my kin, has been proven to be the woman that birthed you. Therefore, you should do away with thoughts of leaving and stay here, in the place your mother held dear."

Yukio watched as the boy staggered momentarily on his feet before ending up on his rear-end, the information seemingly too much for him to process. He could not understand why though; something like this should be something he thought the boy would be elated over. It was then that the boy started whispering though, and with them more queries than he had the right to ask.

"No…it's too convenient. After so long…after coming here by chance…there's no way I could possibly believe…"

Yukio sighed and rose to his feet, moving silently towards the miserable lad. "Give me your hand." He commanded, the boy below him looking at him confusedly before complying. "I know not of the hardships you faced, but feel the connection to us through me." Yukio's chakra surged, setting his eyes alight in a light blue haze before crossing over to Naruto. He could feel the boy's chakra growing alert with his presence, racing throughout his body before setting his widened eyes alight in a similar glow. "If you trust nothing in this world, then learn to trust this feeling. You can no longer deny what has been there from the very beginning."

"I…I can't…" He murmured despairingly, truly at a loss. "I can't just abandon the place that I grew up in. My friends, everyone…I just can't."

With a stern look as always, Yukio returned to his place behind the large desk to resume his end-of-day filing. "Because it is ultimately your decision, I shall comply with your wishes for now, but on one condition only. I can recreate the seal that gave you your false image but this will take time. I only ask that within this time you at least learn the basics of controlling the Shiraiyuki traits. This is acceptable, is it not?"

Seeing no reason to refuse, Naruto agreed, thanking him unconsciously before leaving the room in a somber state. Glancing upwards only once to see him depart, Yukio couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment from the exchange. Now that he could no longer deny the presence of their blood within him, Yukio was going to slowly make him come to accept and cherish it, before sending him back with nothing but feelings of longing and remorse.

_If _it came down to that, that is.

Still feeling his assistant's presence outside his office, he called for her. "Inoue…" Said woman emerged from her hiding place behind the wall. "I need a message sent out to 'No's. 005', '006' and '007'; I need them here for a briefing tomorrow."

"Right away, Yukio-sama."

----

_Meanwhile…Deep within the recesses of Naruto's mind…_

The ice that had only just barely progressed had now almost completely taken over, moving aggressively through the sewer-like passages like a well-fed wildfire.

The Kyūbi's keep was no exception.

However, there was no sign of the Kitsune in question behind the massive iron bars that denoted its territory.

Suddenly, two, large, red eyes blazed from the darkness of the ceiling where a large, clawed appendage shot out from within, piercing the ice-laden waters beneath it. From the hole its foul chakra erupted and the fox let loose a loud, raucous laugh, watching with glee as red vein-like cracks raced forth from the fresh wound like a deadly disease.

It would have been fine had it not ventured into its domain but it foolishly did so, and now the fox was going to take it _all_.

* * *

_**A/N: Well people it's been a very long while but I have once again graced your presence with another chapter. Hope it wasn't that much of a snooze-fest but it's all for the sake of development.**_

_**Now, another issue to address is that of the genre labels for this fiction. I think I've said this before (in fact I know I've said this before) but the action in this story is going to be few and far in between so I'm sorry if that discourages the lot of you (besides the lazy updates). I'll try to get the next one up and out within a month, the latest, this time around.**_

_**As always I thank you for taking the time out to read my story and I look forward to your reviews. I hope you enjoy the Omake...**_

* * *

_**Omake…**_

_Alternate ending for "Hypnotize me, Pervert."_

"Fine…" She yielded. "But so help me god Kakashi, if I start thinking of groping myself I'm gonna'…"

"Yes, yes…end my bloodline, you will…" Kakashi laughed silently to himself before finally exposing his covered eye. "SHARINGAN!!"

"Damn-it Kakashi, did you have to shout?!"

Kakashi chuckled sheepishly. "Sasuke always made such a spectacle out of it back in the day so I've always wanted to try it."

"Do it on your own time!" Trying to hit him as lightly as she could so as to not rattle his brains Tsunade clonked him over the head, but she failed as he lost his sense of balance and ended up sprawled all over her chest. "Get off of me, pervert! Oh my gosh this can't get any worse…"

"AN UCHIHA?! WHERE?!" Sasuke screamed as he burst through the window only to happen upon the scandalous scene that was his sensei with the village leader. Trying his damn well hardest to focus on her eyes he crept back…_slowly_. "Err…I'll pretend I didn't see anything."

"FUCKING HELL!!" Tsunade screamed, grabbing Kakashi and pitching him after the slow-to-retreat Sasuke, sending the both of them careening through the wall. Breathing heavily she calmed herself, finding her body feeling weightless as most of her pent up stress just literally flew out the window. It was definitely a good feeling and instead of boiling over at the thought of order a repair for her room, she simply shrugged it off and headed for the door to sleep in another room for the night.

Before she could make it to the door however, a very groggy Shizune (who had somehow managed to sleep through everything up to that point) came to inquire about the noise with her pet pig in tow.

"Tsunade, what's with all the noise?"

"Bui Bui…" Ton-ton agreed.

A vein bulged on the blonde's forehead.

"GET BACK TO YOUR OWN APARTMENT ALREADY!!"

----

The next day, Sakura dared not the reason why her sensei reported to duty with grabby fingers and a dazed look on his face, why Sasuke seemed to hold him on a pedestal that was even higher than the one he held for the Uchiha, or even why Tsunade seemed to want to strangle them all.

_**End of Omake.**_


End file.
